Decided to go back to the corporate world....

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Hello all!

I am a new grad just graduated on May 16th. I have been applying for RN jobs since February. I have been on 4 interviews and no offers. I left a very stable and well paying job in corporate america to attend nursing school full time. During the last 2 1/2 years, I had enough money saved from personal savings and student loans to keep me afloat.

I am a single mother with a mortgage and car payment. I had enough money to last me through May. I have contacted all my creditors to let them know I am unemployed and currently looking for a job. I have put in over 50 online applications for RN jobs in and out of state. I get the same rejection email daily: we have decided to go with someone who's a better fit/has more experience for our needs.

I am scared to death of losing my home. I've been in my house for 10 years and it's the only asset I have, considering I used my 401-K and pension to get me through nursing school. I attended a nursing school who is affliated with a hospital network and they agreed to pay for my schooling if I agreed to work for them 3 years after graduation. Although I have this scholarship, they have turned me down and this hospital system was 3 of the 4 interviews I've been on.

The dean claims she is gonna get to the bottom of it, and my contract says I have 30 days from graduation to find a job within their hospital organization or payment starts. In the meantime, I am dead broke, and doing the best I can to keep my household afloat. I've had to borrow money from a friend to pay for my state boards.

Today, I went to a job fair and was offered an interview right on the spot for an insurance company. I am currently taking Kaplan and decided to take boards in July. If I get this job at the insurance company, I have decided I will not return to nursing. I am already behind my classmates as far as on the job training and skills are concerned.

Although I will miss the bedside and patient care, my main priority is keeping my house and getting my financial status in order. I had NO debt prior to nursing school, now I'll owe about 40K in student loans, considering I'll have to pay back the scholarship to the school. My credit is now shot, because I have a 30 day late on my mortgage and all of my credit cards. I can't sleep at night and I find it hard to concentrate on studying Kaplan. I figure once I get myself out of this financial mess, I'll return to nursing and take a refresher course.

Any suggestions on how to keep my license updated and active while I am working outside of nursing? Any help would be greatly apperciated!

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I'm so glad you have a job to go to, nurse2b. Wish I knew how you keep your license updated and active p/t with no nsg experience. It's a vicious circle. No help here, but good thoughts and good luck to you.

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, MICU,Tele. PCU, IMC.

I think you should start the new job since you need the money, but keep an eye open for nursing jobs. Don't give up on nursing...it's the most rewarding profession ever. It's hard to get started with no experience, but if you just give up, then all that money you've spent will just be lost in vain.

Pass the boards, and maybe later in the year things will open up. The market is overly saturated right now with new grads anyway...so the pickings are slim. I'm sure in a few months, things will turn around.

I graduated in May as well, and started looking for jobs right away. I didn't get anything until December of that same year...after I had passed the Boards. With the state of the economy right now, some employers don't want to take the risk that you might not pass the Boards. Having your license will give you a leg up on the competition.

Good luck.

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

If you did volunteer work with hospice or some thing like that, would your state allow you to remain 'active?'

I've had days where I think about what my paycheck used to look like, and want to go back to corporate. I figure when I get to the point where my knees can't take it anymore, I'll either go to work in IS/IT for a hospital, or maybe a health equipment company -- god knows, I could explain how to use new equipment better than half those inservices I've been to...

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

I am so sorry about your situation ((((Hugs))))

Good luck!

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It sounds to me like you maybe taking looking at hospital jobs, which maybe part of the issue as well, hospitals are very hard to get into without experience. The economy is bad now and even nurses have to do what we have to do, take the job, but also look at home health agencies, you could work part time or maybe even LTC, or any insurance company that handles workers comp cases, I was reading and did not hear where you are living at, that would be a big help as well, also I would try some of these trade schools as well, it would not be patient bedside care but they use nurses as well to teach.

I wish you all the luck in the world

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It sounds to me like you maybe taking looking at hospital jobs, which maybe part of the issue as well, hospitals are very hard to get into without experience. The economy is bad now and even nurses have to do what we have to do, take the job, but also look at home health agencies, you could work part time or maybe even LTC, or any insurance company that handles workers comp cases, I was reading and did not hear where you are living at, that would be a big help as well, also I would try some of these trade schools as well, it would not be patient bedside care but they use nurses as well to teach.

I wish you all the luck in the world

I live in Missouri.

I've tried Hospice and LTC's and the LTC's wanted new grad LPN's. I even tried some mental hospitals and they want someone with one year's experience. Hospice and Home Health both want someone with one year's experience. At the career fair, I gave my resume to a health clinic and she said she will call me to set up an interview if interested.

The good thing is the insurance company I am interviewing for is looking for someone with a medical background, preferrably a nurse, so it's a good fit from what I can tell. The only thing is I wil be missing out on valuable experience, which is what I'm scared of.

Right now, I have to worry about passing boards and getting a job to keep my house.

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Wow. Your story is absolutely heartbreaking. Heartbreaking that nursing most likely lost a great potential nurse, and heartbreaking that this so-called "shortage" which they have been touting for years looks as if it was an utter hoax.

Something so strange is going on in heathcare and with nursing. I just can't get over it.

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I also agree that you should take the job now to get out of your predicament. Get your nursing license and look for employment on weekends or such. If you don't work as a nurse all you have to do to keep your license up is to do your CEUs every two years, costs about $40 to $60. Your first renewal will probably not require CEUs. You can always get a nursing job during flu season by working a shift here and there on the weekend doing flu clinics. Hopefully your state is not one of those that requires a certain amount of paid employment for each renewal. I know what it is not to be able to find work and losing your house and your credit. Stick with it. The nursing license and career can take a back seat to survival for now. Good luck.

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Pay your mortgage only... screw your credit cards till you get on your feet. You already own a home so dont worry about your credit score. don't be too proud (like i have been in the past) to get foodstamps to cover your food needs. then pay mortgage and power bills.

Above all DO NOT answer your phone... I havent made a credit card payment in over a year and don't answer the phone unless i recognize the number. They will have you convinced that they are going to take your home and ruin your credit forever. Usually it takes 2-4 years before they will take you to court... if they even bother at all. They don't want to risk forcing you into bankruptcy and collecting nothing at all.

Finally, don't give up! take whatever job you can find to make ends meet for now but pursue your dreams with all your heart. "Let's not get tired of doing what is good, for at the right time we will reap a harvest-if we do not give up." Gal 6:9 Nursing is a praiseworthy and noble profession and will provide well for your family, I think it is definitely "good". I am saying a prayer for you!

Books for encouragement "Failing Forward" by John Maxwell and "Start Where You Are" by Chris Gardner

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I'm so glad you have a job to go to, nurse2b. Wish I knew how you keep your license updated and active p/t with no nsg experience. It's a vicious circle. No help here, but good thoughts and good luck to you.

Could you perhaps get a job with a free clinic, one that is run by a church, or non profit organization? Here in Spokane, we have the Christ Clinic, a free clinic for the poor. You could work in one of these for nursing hours/experience and go back to the corporate world for a paying job.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

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SoundofMusic the "Strange" thing going on is a bill called "Nursing Relief Act 2009" Someone from California introduced a bill to so that they can import up to 50,000 nurses a year from China/India. If you are not aware of it, maybe you should google that and see what comes up. Our Nurses can't find work, but they are screaming shortages and attempting to get 50,000 a year from other countries

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