I'm going to apologize now for the rant I'm going to go on, but I need to vent! I cannot get a job!!!! Okay, let me back up here a bit...I have been working in a LTC Dementia unit for 5 years. I started out as an aide after having been a medical transcriptionist for 25 years. I've always wanted to be a nurse but I put my family first and put my education on hold until everyone had either passed on or moved on. After 3 mos of being an aide, I was offered to become a med tech. I started back to school, took all my prereqs, started nursing school, worked full time and graduated with my AD in May of this year and passed my boards in August of this year. I did it...I became an RN! Here's where the "disgusted" part comes in....I've applied to every hospital in the city. Don't get me wrong, I love my job, the residents, their families, my DON, my coworkers, etc but I'm not using my skills. I've been promoted to the 3 to 11 supervisor and yes, I have RN after my name but I'm doing the exact same job that I did when I was a med tech. Pay, you ask? Okay, I went from making $8/hr to $16/hr and quite honestly, it's not about the money for me. I want to utilize my skills! I want to hang blood, I want to start IVs, etc. I want to do what I've been trained to do! Here's where the really "disgusted, disgusted" comes in....every week I see ads in the local paper for one particular hospital that I've applied to multiple times since passing my boards but I hear nothing? Does anyone have any advice? Am I doing something wrong? Has the fact that I've worked in LTC hurting me? I just don't get it! I'm half tempted to go back to medical transcription! Please someone offer me something positive and thanks for listening!
where do you live? is it a small town? the reason i am asking is because i am an RN with 32 years experience and i have encountered the same problem with a small town hospital located about 20 miles from here. i have applied on line several times and have not received a phone call one. this has been going on for almost a year now. a friend told me recently that she had encountered the same problem in the past. she thought the problem might be that they are waiting for someone they know to apply for the position. i don't think your experience in LTC is hurting you because most hospitals give you an orientation period in which to learn. let meknow what happens.
Hi rawrn-Are there not other hospitals in your area that you can apply to? It seems to me you are spending too much effort at one facility when there may be others that you can work for , build up your skills, confidence, resume' and then, if you'd like, retry the "primo" facility again. What about agency, home health, etc. Look at ALL your options!!
Hi IMABSNRN-Seems to me you're disgusted for a different reason-you can't or won't move on b/c of your family situations or you're unwilling to do so. You mave have to relocate!! Kids can adjust easily, commuting /moving is sometimes necessary for growth. Also, you have a BSN, which is more managerial work than an ADN from what I understand. Seems to me you've got what you've been educated for. Just my
Yes there are. I live in Pittsburgh, PA and UPMC owns just about everything here and I've applied there too. The hospital that I would like to work at always has ads in the local ppr and I guess that's where my confusion comes in. One post recommended that I follow up with HR and even go as far as to say that I've put apps in but continue to see ads posted. I think I may follow that lead!
I do not think that the word disgusted is a correct title for your post. At any rate, $16 an hour is not very much in terms of an hourly salary for a Registered Nurse. I encourage you to keep applying often to hospitals and doing follow-up, which is essential. This basically means to call the place your applied, and speak directly with the Nursing Recruiter and/or managers. Let them know who are you. Let them know how much you want the job. When an opening presents itself, hopefully they will think of you.
Really do something about your wage though. I made $35/hr as a new grad a couple years ago and now I am making $40/hr. You are getting ripped off.
Specializes in Surgery, Tele, OB, Peds,ED-True Float RN.
An RN with 6 years experience makes $36/per hour in my province. Not including shift diff's for W/E's and nights, not to mention extra pay for Critical Care and Psych. That's for a floor nurse, it's higher for charge nurses, community health RN's, Public Health RN's and RN's working in education. Where I live is moderately expensive and we have a fairly high income tax. However, we have "free" healthcare here in Canada and 1 yr paid mat. leave. This is still one of the lower wages in Canada (compared to some other provinces). We recently had a battle with the government for these wages and almost went on strike to fight for what we deserve.
AND when I commented in an earlier post that the OP must feel "under appreciated," I was referring to the compensation for her education, responsibilities & hard work. I wasn't saying that $16 is a terrible wage, but it certainly isn't in proportion to a long, hard 4 years in university, having peoples lives in my hands, constant continuing education and being totally emotionally and physically exhausted at the end of my shift. Minimum wage here is $10! I don't know who you are referring to by saying "smaller people" but I was talking about RN's because that is the job I know... I can't speak for anyone else's job, including the "smaller people," as you put it.
An RN with 6 years experience makes $36/per hour in my province. Not including shift diff's for W/E's and nights, not to mention extra pay for Critical Care and Psych. That's for a floor nurse, it's higher for charge nurses, community health RN's, Public Health RN's and RN's working in education. Where I live is moderately expensive and we have a fairly high income tax. However, we have "free" healthcare here in Canada and 1 yr paid mat. leave. This is still one of the lower wages in Canada (compared to some other provinces). We recently had a battle with the government for these wages and almost went on strike to fight for what we deserve.
AND when I commented in an earlier post that the OP must feel "under appreciated," I was referring to the compensation for her education, responsibilities & hard work. I wasn't saying that $16 is a terrible wage, but it certainly isn't in proportion to a long, hard 4 years in university, having peoples lives in my hands, constant continuing education and being totally emotionally and physically exhausted at the end of my shift. Minimum wage here is $10! I don't know who you are referring to by saying "smaller people" but I was talking about RN's because that is the job I know... I can't speak for anyone else's job, including the "smaller people," as you put it.
If I remember correctly, w/o looking back at the posts, someone posted that comment regarding "smaller people." I hope I didn't imply that anyone beneath an RN is considered a "smaller person." I appreciate anyone with or without education/degree in this field. Having someones life in your hands is a major responsibility and one that I take extreme pride in. Thank you though for your post.
Specializes in Surgery, Tele, OB, Peds,ED-True Float RN.
If I remember correctly, w/o looking back at the posts, someone posted that comment regarding "smaller people." I hope I didn't imply that anyone beneath an RN is considered a "smaller person." I appreciate anyone with or without education/degree in this field. Having someones life in your hands is a major responsibility and one that I take extreme pride in. Thank you though for your post.
I was actually referring to the remark made to me from sjersett. I never took your remark as implying anything, sorry!
Yes, actually we have but on that note, my husband has been with a company for 25+ years and to ask him to up and quit his job for me is something I would never ask him to do, even though he probably would do it for me. But, if that's what it takes...scary though with me being 47 and him turning 50 in December...hmmm
That's what 401ks were invented for. Hopefully your husband does some kind of job that he could easily find somewhere else. Otherwise, you're just going to need to keep expanding your search in the area youre at.
rawrn
52 Posts
I live in Pittsburgh, PA