cover letter advice

[GapRN]

Hi everyone! I was looking for work and saw a school nurse position that could actually pay my bills so I headed over here.... and spent the next 2 days reading this forum. I'm impressed by how active you guys are here and your job sounds interesting!

I'm coming from 9 years of home health and I see a lot of parallels in skills (from my cover letter: Building rapport with patients & families, implementing appropriate protocols, triaging with no back-up, organizing resources from outside agencies, detailed paperwork requirements, and operating in environments I have little control over.) For a couple of years I audited nursing visit notes - more CYA for the company, but I did a lot of peer education and it gave me a solid grounding in implementing/documenting ADPIE and organizing myself. I don't expect much problem on the medical side shifting from geri to pedi but there will be a learning curve and I'm not sure what employers will think about that. Also I have a 3 y/o and in nursing school i baby-sat for developmentally disabled kids <5.

My question is what should I emphasize on a cover letter?

[BrisketRN, BSN, RN]

Emphasize your ability to work independently, your confidence in your assessment skills, your joys (ha! pretend) in forming long-lasting professional relationships with patients and family, your eagerness to work with children in the nursing role, your experience working with children in non-nursing roles, your ability to adapt to new situations.

[GapRN]

Do you think that dropping by the school district office a couple of day after turning in an application would help? I was told to physically seek out employers after graduating but in health care, esp large organizations, this seems pretty hopeless. As a new grad I stopped after the 2nd time cops got called on me in a hospital - I wasn't even in patient care areas!

[BrisketRN, BSN, RN]

7 minutes ago, GapRN said:

Do you think that dropping by the school district office a couple of day after turning in an application would help? I was told to physically seek out employers after graduating but in health care, esp large organizations, this seems pretty hopeless. As a new grad I stopped after the 2nd time cops got called on me in a hospital - I wasn't even in patient care areas!

I wouldn't. A quick call ONCE to follow up would be appropriate.

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

On 10/17/2019 at 5:42 PM, GapRN said:

Do you think that dropping by the school district office a couple of day after turning in an application would help? I was told to physically seek out employers after graduating but in health care, esp large organizations, this seems pretty hopeless. As a new grad I stopped after the 2nd time cops got called on me in a hospital - I wasn't even in patient care areas!

Do you know any of the nurses in the district? Reaching out might not be a bad idea.

Is there a Nurse Leader for the district? Send in your cover letter and resume per the instructions posted on the job advertisement (snail mail vs. email vs. fax vs. apply though another site, etc.). Many districts have specific instructions about how to apply. I had one district make me register for their City Public Health website and fill out an application on line that way. It specifically stated that any applications received via direct email or snail mail would be discarded. It was a PITA because I had to essentially re-write my entire resume by answering questions about prior job experience, etc. Took me over an hour. That is the job I am currently in and so glad I followed directions or I wouldn't be here ? Make sure you apply the correct way. Then wait a few days and if there is a nurse leader or name of someone listed call and follow up and just state you name and that you are following up to make sure that you application materials were received. That's it. Do not follow up again.