Depressed and Frustrated

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi, I guess my question is what do you do when you are an RN but you cannot get a job? My problem is that I am not a new grad so I do not qualify for new grad programs but yet my limited experience is not enough to be considered an experienced RN. I have had some setbacks in my nursing career. I will be done with my BSN in May 2020. I have been an RN for almost three years now. I volunteer my time every week at a free medical clinic taking care of vulnerable populations. I did a ICU residency right out of school and I loved it. Unfortunately, I was let go from the position during my probation period. I also worked in nursing/rehab facility for 9 months before I decided that was not the type of nursing I wanted. Hospitals do not look at that as experience they want in hospital experience. My passion and desire is to be in the hospital caring for patients and their families. It took me a long time to get my license due to moving all the time following my husband around the world with the USAF. I bet I have put in close to 600 applications for the last two years and no one wants me. I have a feeling that there are some untrue things being said about me from a certain hospital but I can't prove it and plus I just want a chance to prove myself as a nurse. I have all this desire and love to give to patients and just need to be needed. How do I proceed? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you, Jennifer

Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.

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.

3 Votes

Hi Molly,

That’s frustrating. What I recommend doing is really working to get these jobs. When I couldn’t get a job for a while, I got off my ***, drove to all these hospitals around me, knocked on the managers’ (had to research who they were) doors (made sure I was there early and gave them my resume, told them I really wanted the job and how much I’d love to work for the company). Of course you’ll have your own reasons but do you know what I mean? The extra mile that no one would do. Have you done cover letters on all your applications? Revamping your resume? You can hire someone to do that for you for $50 from Groupon. Good luck and hopefully I helped.

3 Votes
Specializes in ICU, ER, Home Health, Corrections, School Nurse.

Usually the only feedback you will get from previous employers is are you eligible for rehire. Saying much beyond that opens them up to lawsuits. I have a feeling that there is something in your presentation, or the way you interview, that is having a negative impact. You may want to consult with a professional in the field of job seeking to go over your resume and how you present yourself.

1 Votes
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

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.

5 Votes

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.

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

LTACH is hospital experience

5 Votes

Oh right! Okay, you are talking about Kindred Hospital. I understand, thank you!

Specializes in IMC.
12 minutes ago, Here.I.Stand said:

LTACH is hospital experience

I agree!

I work in one and, we do a lot of the same tasks/ treatments an acute care hospital does. LTACH is a great way to get nursing experience.

1 minute ago, mollynurse said:

Oh right! Okay, you are talking about Kindred Hospital. I understand, thank you!

There is more than just Kindred. Kindred has it positives & negatives. Look for other facilities than just Kindred.

1 Votes
1 hour ago, mollynurse said:

I would go back to a LTACH or SNF if in anyway that would be considered experience to get me a hospital position.

Even if hospitals don't consider LTACH/SNF/rehab to be 'hospital experience,' that's still going to be your best option to move toward a hospital position.

Yes, the best way to get a hospital job is to have recent hospital experience. However, if hospitals are choosing between a candidate with LTACH/SNF/rehab experience and a candidate with volunteering experience, they're going to pick the person with recent, paid experience. Taking an LTACH/SNF/rehab job will strenghten your clinical skills and your resume.

Frankly, I think that the gaps and inconsistency in your employment history are a way bigger hurdle than the lack of acute care experience. It's going to be a red flag to employers if your only paid nursing experience was two jobs that you held for less than a year each several years ago. It's great that you volunteer, but that means very little to employers compared to paid experience.

You've tried sending out hospital applications, and clearly that isn't panning out. If you are truly set on working your way back into the hospital, your best bet is to take whatever nursing job you can get and stick with it for at least a year. Then you can start reapplying for hospital jobs to see if your chances improve.

3 Votes
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
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.

1 Votes
Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.
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 ?

1 Votes
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