Edmonton area jobs.

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Hello,

So I'm a new graduate residing in the edmonton area.

I can can see that under this forum everyone is asked about edmonton jobs for PN...

I can certainly see what is going online and both units I did preceptorship on said they like what I do, but absolutely aren't looking for casuals at the moment.

I have applied and applied and applied but hear nothing.

What would be some good advice as to how to get my foot in the door wih AHS or Cov health? Last year I was able to physically hand in a resume for health care aide jobs for covenant health but now when I try that im just told to apply online to "the postings" (there aren't really much for posting on there? What postings? Lol)

anyway, so I started applying as a health care aide.

Ive ve been hired as a casual practical nurse in long term care, but I know I won't get many shifts there as the number of nurses required in the facility in a day are quite minimal. I'm grateful that I have my job, many do not have a job.

So now that I have my nurse license do you think ahs and cov health would still hire me as a care aide (to get my foot in the door)? Or do they usually see that as over qualified?

Please and thank you!

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Nope. You are an LPN.

ypu need to start looking outside the box, family doctor's office, non profit agencies, media centres, heck even Dr. Bernstein.

Have you looked on the CLPNA jobs list?

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I have but there is one for the edmonton area and I beleive its for an HCA instructor position. I certainly want to practice and not teach. :(

Thanks for the tips though. I'm beyond the point of being picky right now. I think Ill take what I can get.

Its strange, how they assure you there are so many jobs out there throughout school but me as well as many other classmates are struggling. I cant really seem to understand what it is that they are doing with this hiring freeze. The units I did clinicals on were often short staffed, but they wont hire casuals? It doesnt make any sense to me.

Thank you for your time.

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Have you applied to the float pools? That's where I see most new grads.

the days of units hiring their own unit specific floats is over. Centralized staffing is here

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I've applied to everything that is posted. There doesn't seem to be many float pool postings coming up lately either. í ½í¸ž

we are doomed. It's quite disheartening.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Unfortunately, there are so many mixed messages out there about the "nursing shortage". There isn't a nursing shortage.

AHS and Covenant Health continue to cut positions. In addition, nurses are not replaced when they do retire. Private industry is the same.

Continue applying for anything and everything. You never know. Also, consider relocating to a small town. Many small towns will hire nurses, but the cities not so much.

You're not doomed, but the reality is budget cuts. With the Alberta government running a huge deficit jobs will be scarce.

All units operate on a skeleton staff and they will continue to do so, despite the high rates of sick time. Nurses are viewed as an expense, not a resource. Hiring staff would be wise, but hiring costs money.

As Fiona mentioned, Covenant Health will not consider you for a health care aide position, especially since you are already working as an LPN. You're held to the standard of your license. They also know that staff would leave their HCA position as soon as an LPN position becomes available.

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Thank you for your insight. It's quite tragic what is going on health care right now, but I feel they have to break eventually and decide to hire new people. You can't continue to run on an empty tank. I have another half and can't just pick up to a small town. I am considering places close by though, even if it's an hour drive it wouldn't be the end of the world.

I suppose ill just be grateful that I do have a job. It's casual and I don't think I'll get many hours, but it's better than nothing. It's a foot in the door somewhere. My current job allows me to work as both a care aide and a nurse which is why I was wondering if larger companies will let me do the same.

Anyway,

thank you for your time.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

It is tragic and the downward spiral of health care is nothing new. Since 2007, jobs have been disappearing. They don't have to hire people eventually, either.

When I was a new grad, I thought the same. Then I soon realized that the Canadian health care system provides very basic care only. It's all about the bottom line.

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in BC's many LPNs start out as Care aids so you could potentially try that in Edmonton too. THere is no shame in starting out from scratch nowadays, since employers just don't know what they are doing are really putting new grads out of work. many of my coworkers in res care started out as care aids and most work two jobs as care aids and lpns. To go into the hospital you have to just get the foot in the door. Try rehab units etc non acute first since they have high turnovers. Same for res cares in unionized places like AHS

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Employers are focused on cutting expenses. They aren't concerned that new grads are out of work. Maybe in another 10 years they will be, not now.

Most Edmonton area employers will not hire a licensed LPN to work as a care aide. It doesn't work the same as BC.

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