Does is ever end?

Nurses Recovery

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I have been applying for nursing jobs for almost a year now with no luck. Graduated with my BSN recently (had a diploma) and have gotten a lot more calls and even interviews. Even had a company offer me the position and then resend the offer when they decided they couldn't work with my stipulations. I am at an absolute loss for what to do. What companies or types of employment has everyone had luck with? I'm in northern Kentucky and really hoping not to have to relocate as all of our family is here.

Specializes in Pediatrics, LTC, Internal Medicine, FP.

Dekyrn: I got your PM.. and I really appreciate it. I typed out a three paragraph response and when I hit send I got a message saying I wasn't allowed to sent PM's yet. LOL. I don't want you to think I was just not replying. Thank you for your message, and i won't post my reply here, I will just wait until I am allowed.

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You have to have a certain number of posts before youre able to. Just keep up on the boards and you'll get there :-)

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that is awesome! I, too, am trying to get into behavioral health. Might I ask if you had experience in this specialty before being hired?

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that is awesome! I, too, am trying to get into behavioral health. Might I ask if you had experience in this specialty before being hired?

The only "experience" I had was as a patient safety attendant where I sat with individuals experiencing behavioral issues/withdrawl. I had applied to this place several times with no call back but recently finished my BSN, which seems to have kicked me over the edge and people are finally interested in me!

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That's awesome to hear. I'm in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area and it seems like every single application states at least 1 year of acute inpatient psychiatric experience required. I have a BA in psychology and extensive home health experience with dementia but it seems no one wants to consider me because of my lack of hospital experience.

I'm just curious if the job you were hired for was open to hiring those without experience or if you managed to dazzle them during the interview and they made an exception for you!

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Just wanted to update you all as you have been so helpful! I am happy to say i had an interview at a behavioral health hospital and was offered a job on the spot. I am extremely nervous but thrilled to be in nursing after 6 long years and FINALLY start working off this contract!!

Congratulations and best of luck at the new job!

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Specializes in ER, ICU/CCU, Open Heart OR Recovery, Etc.
Thank you for the reply! And firstly, congratulations on everything you have accomplished!

I also spent 2 years fighting the state of Missouri to get a license right out of nursing school. (I was arrested and had substance abuse issues PRIOR) to even entering nursing school. They required me to jump through very expensive hoops, which I did, however during that time I started feeling as if I would never get a license.

I met my now ex husband at an NA meeting and believed that he was clean. Long story short, he was still using and after a few months I realized this. I did not run away (as I should have,) but instead I stayed, and I wanted to "help him." *eyeroll* What a big mistake! Add it to the list of many that I have made over the years. I ended up making bad choices with him and ended up fully relapsing. I went back to rehab and then decided to end the marriage as I was now clean and he was not going to change. My parents moved to florida to retire and I followed. Fast forward to current times. I applied for a florida license almost 2 years ago. I was recently granted it as long as I participate in IPN. Which I have been in for 8 months now.

I sometime feel like a fool. Like, I have done all of this, spent all of this money, and I am still not working. But then I realize nursing is what I want to do. THIS IS WHAT I AM GOOD AT, and this is what I love.

I had to do this level two background check thing for my initial license and now I am doing it again via an employer. I am so very confused. One of this things I have an arrest for is something that is on the list of disqualifiers, however I was never convicted. I was though, put on probation and in MO the type of probation I was given is where you don't get convicted and it all goes away after you complete successfully. (goes away, or so I thought, because here we are, revisiting an issue that is from 2007-2009.)

I am sorry for the novel. I just literally have no one else that understands. I have my parents who are very supportive but they don't understand all of this technical stuff. And my nurse support group, well, they are great, but I can't use up all the time in the group on me, and everything I have to say seems like its so long and complicated.

After all this is said and done though, at least I still have my sobriety, and my recovery. Now all I can do is wait, and try not to drive myself crazy with the "what if's."

We ALL have varying versions of novels here. You're in the right place. I used to think mine was long and complicated, so I never talked about it until I came to this forum. The nurses here have truly been a godsend.

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Specializes in ER, ICU/CCU, Open Heart OR Recovery, Etc.
Just wanted to update you all as you have been so helpful! I am happy to say i had an interview at a behavioral health hospital and was offered a job on the spot. I am extremely nervous but thrilled to be in nursing after 6 long years and FINALLY start working off this contract!!

Awesome! It is so good to see nurses like us get jobs. When I start looking for one, I will feel a little more confident about my chances because of what I see here :)

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