Consistent applying for a new job...

[Fomzy24]

Hi im a nurse in a LTC Vent unit. , im an RN BSN with 1 1/2 years experience. No hospital experience, only trainings in ER back home. I commute 1 hr drive OR 2hrs by train going to work, thats a lot of time. Im enjoying my job and loving it. But the workload is very ridiculous.. Since May 2013 to present, trying to apply jobs in a hospital or other LTC which is 15-20mins away from my apartment., until now no job offers. Had 1 interview in a hospital but they prefer the ones with more hospital experience. I feel so sad and upset, what did ive done wrong? Is my experience not enough? Everytime i visit their website, it is always emphasized "AT LEAST 1 YEAR HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED", that made me so upset... Like how can I get a hospital experience if no one will hire me???

Am i the only one on this situation?

[limetree1987]

I am in the same boat. I have three years of nursing experience in an office setting and I have been applying to other jobs since I started in that position. I have sent in thousands of applications, have networked, and have gone in person to all hospitals in my area. No luck. No one wants to hire a nurse without hospital experience. I have been so depressed and discouraged and my monthly school loan payments are a constant reminder of the fact that I very well may have made a mistake by investing so much money in a bachelor's degree in nursing. I have even tried applying to non-nursing jobs. I'm basically lost and hopeless.

[xSoCaLRNx]

Well around here, even with experience...i have 10+ years of med/surg experience. it's not easy to find a job. There's only a few positions opened...and who knows that they rather pay someone w/less experience? So I'm having difficulty figuring out what is out there anymore. It's very frustrating!

[UPSgirl]

It's been my experience that they would rather hire a "green" nurse who will work for $10 per hour less. Experience is experience, and if you have 10 years experience on a vent unit, that's the equivalent of a step down unit in a hospital. My last job I was hired as the night charge nurse of the ICU. My manager asked me if I felt okay training new grads, I said absolutely I have 8 years of ICU/ER experience, I'll teach them everything I know. It took me 3 months to train them, after they were trained I got fired. I asked a friend who still works there "who's charging the ICU?" Yep, the new grads. So the hospital will save money at the patients' expense. And I'm not saying new grads aren't capable, I'm just saying it takes YEARS to get the knowledge and confidence that a seasoned nurse has. Healthcare is getting very shady, something has to change.

[sourapril]

Don't be deterred by what they say on the job description. Sometimes it's true that you need a number of experience to perform well on the job. Other times, if you have the personality, the drive, and the chemistry with whoever is looking at your resume, you will get a call back. I would advice you to be proactive, get out there, email HR, call them, meet them face to face, ask them if they hire people with no hospital experience, and tell them you are very motivated and want to work for them.