Depressed and Frustrated

Have you only been applying to hospital jobs? If so, expand your net. Apply to nursing homes, LTC, anywhere and everywhere outside of a hospital. It might not be your "dream" position but it is better than no job at all.

Second, have someone review your resume. Often times if you are not getting an interview, your resume is partially to blame. If you are getting interviews but aren't getting offers, that can sometimes be attributed to your interview skills.

I am curious what you think is being said about you? Nursing is a small world so it wouldn't be completely surprising one way or another. I know of people who have called the HR department of their previous employer to get a "reference" on themselves to see what was being said.

You say you quit a job at 9 months because that isn't what you wanted to do and that you were let go from a residency and now suspect that hospital is slandering you. You have been a nurse for 3 years but basically have about a year (or so) of actual nursing experience.

All of this puts you between a rock and a hard place.

The first question you have to ask yourself is if you have bills to pay and therefore need to work. If the answer is yes, you have to let that fact take precedence over what you do or don't want to do. If the answer is no, then you can take your time finding a job, understanding what you are looking for is pretty much a unicorn from what you have relayed above.

You aren't very marketable to hospitals as you are right now, unemployed, with no acute care experience to speak of and significant gaps in your work history. If you want to get into acute care (hospital) nursing, you may need to consider moving to an area that needs nurses very badly - rural hospitals, Indian reservations, places along the Mexico border and the like. You may need to get good with taking the worst shifts on the worst units for the worst employers. Then you will need to stick with that job for one to two years. At that point, you will be able to get hired anywhere.

If you are not willing to move for the job and/or taking the worst of the worst and making it work for you, then your best bet is going to be getting back into SNF or LTACH.

3 hours ago, Here.I.Stand said:

LTACH is hospital experience

Technically yes. However, I have yet to work at an acute care facility/hospital that sees it that way.

Volunteer experience, particularly volunteer experience in a clinic, isn't going to lead to a hospital position unfortunately.

You need to get back into a job, almost any job as an RN that pays, and establish a stable work history for one to two years. Then you may be able to find a hospital position.

8 hours ago, mollynurse said:

I volunteer a few days a week for a free medical clinic and have for almost two years now. I enjoy it and it makes me very grateful for all that I have in life since a great deal of my patients have really horrible histories. I would go back to a LTACH or SNF if in anyway that would be considered experience to get me a hospital position. Thank you for your advice. Hope you have a great day.

You are on the right track to consider LTACH or SNF. Your primary goal right now is to establish a good work history.

Once you have 2yrs of history working with the same employer, it will compensate for the older employment gaps. You will show as a reliable employee with relevant and current skills, and a BSN. Best wishes ?