My name is Dave and I am a BSN, RN who has been a licensed RN for nearly two years. My goal after graduating was to place myself in an environment where I could gain the most well-rounded experience so I could then drill down into the area I would like to be in for the rest of my career or at least for the next several years prior to returning to school for my masters.
My career as an RN began in TN working on a cardiac tele unit but after a few months, I saw 9 nurses leave and I had 7 preceptors in a matter of just a few months. Nurses just kept leaving and I realized that I wasn't getting anywhere with regard to training, certifications, etc. I began applying for additional positions in the area and even some with the government that appeared to be exotic and exciting.
In the winter of 2012, I was offered an opportunity to live with the Navajo Indians and work at a level 3 trauma center in Gallup, NM with a 17K raise. I felt this was an opportunity of a lifetime. I mean really, who gets this kinds of opportunity after being out of school for less than a year? I felt very honored especially since I had surpassed applications sent by Native Americans who always have preference with these kind of positions. My experience in Gallup, NM was one I will never forget. There I received my ACLS, TNCC and ENPC. I made some wonderful friends and had an adventure of a lifetime.
The only downside was that Gallup was an extremely violent place where it is NOT illegal to be publicly drunk(Alcoholism is 550% above average) and the town itself is very violent, hence the need for a level 3 trauma center basically on the reservation. Gallup, NM is not a place to settle down and raise a family which always has been a goal of mine. In December of 2013, I decided to look elsewhere and began applying for ER positions in the Dallas, TX area.
Soon thereafter, I received an offer from one of the major hospital systems in Dallas with a signing bonus and relocation paid with an 18 month commitment. I also received another 15k raise. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance and moved to Dallas. Unfortunately, after only 6 days on the job, my contract was breached and a few months later, I felt it was a prudent decision to leave the position I was in due to poor work conditions, no breaks and no support. I have learned the hard way that signing bonuses and paid relocation are signs of a troubled department which this certainly was. I am still a rehire but I feel that it is now time to choose my focus for my MSN as I have had enough clinical experience to truly work on any med/surg, tele, or cardiac unit which are areas I have chosen for my focus in my MSN.
Currently, I am having extreme difficulty with hospital recruiters who state that I do not qualify for any med/surg, tele or cardiac positions because I have only worked in an ER yet each application I have sent meets minimum requirements listed. I even had one recruiter tell me that I meet the minimum but not the preferred and I will not have an interview because of that. I have yet to be able to get a single interview outside the ER. I am also finding out that some of these recruiters aren't nurses that are making these judgements. The fact of the matter is that I could work circles around most med/surg and tele nurses and my skill sets are, in some cases, far beyond the average nurse on these types of floors.
So my question is, "Am I being discriminated against?" and if so, who can I speak to about this? The latest claim of not being qualified has come from a hospital system with central recruiting. They have refused to provide me with specifics on how I am not qualified and will not let me speak to the recruiter who is making the claim. This is also a hospital system with more than 500 nursing positions to fill just in the Dallas, TX area alone. I feel the way I have been treated is discriminatory and I would like to hear other nurses opinions on this subject. I am absolutely qualified for the positions I have applied for. Is this just simply poor bad recruiters or am I being discriminated against?
