Experienced RN's cannot get new jobs!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

  1. Are you an experienced RN being turned down for jobs?

    • 6
      Yes
    • 22
      No
    • 1
      Yes, more than three times in a recent search
    • 3
      Yes, more than two times in a recent search
    • 3
      Yes, more than one time in a recent search

35 members have participated

My unit has recently been sold to an outside company that no one wants to work for. Now we have 15 RN's with over 20 years experience each looking for new positions. Our institution told us they would help us transfer within, but it is all for show, and they are not helping us, plus, we are being told we are 'not qualified' for positions that we hold experience in. We find out these positions that we are 'not qualified' for are being given to new grads with no experience, using the nurse residency program as an excuse. The nurse residency program is a manipulative way to create a cheap labor pool'. We are all in agreement that this is, ultimately, age discrimmination. I have been a nurse for 21 years and cannot find a job in or outside my company!!! Help!

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I've been an LPN for 11 years now. I am a "new grad" again as an RN, but I can say even as an LPN I had many job choices. Not all were places I loved, but I ended up really liking a job that I never thought I would. I would try something new. It's scary, but I found it to be enjoyable once I gave things a chance. Now of course I didn't love every aspect, but I have never LOVED everything about my jobs.

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Nothing new about this.

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It is for me! I remember the days you could walk into a hospital's HR department, hand them a resume and find a message from them waiting when you got home. I am despondent that my hospital is doing this to me. I have always gotten jobs over new grads (not knocking new grads, they are great, too).

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Thank you for your response. Do you care to share what you tried that was new? I am hitting brick walls where ever I show interest for new things such as case management, for example.

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I would also like to add that I have an excellent attendance record and no interventions. I was only written up once in 21 years.

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Yikes... These stories do not want to make me stay at the bedside, that's for sure.

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I am facing the worst kind of discrimination because I am returning after an 8 year family leave. A Nurse refresher course is a $2100, so that's not possible. Hospitals say they will call me, but never do. I'm trying to keep positive that something will come up.

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I am facing the worst kind of discrimination because I am returning after an 8 year family leave. A Nurse refresher course is a $2100, so that's not possible. Hospitals say they will call me, but never do. I'm trying to keep positive that something will come up.

Sorry, you haven't worked in eight years (EIGHT YEARS) and it's discrimination because nobody wants to hire you without a refresher course? Not only that but it's the WORST kind of discrimination? You are not living in reality, my friend. Is this for real?

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Follow the money. Would you take the job with a new grade pay ?

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duca, so sorry about your experience. Unfortunately, I have also heard this before. It's all about hiring the least expensive labor force. I wonder how unionized areas like CA handle this?

Please keep a record of what jobs you applied for, the responses you received as well as the "effort" your current company to "find" jobs within the organization. Importantly, keep record of what your company told you when they said you were not qualified to do the job you have been doing for 20 yrs. Get a copy of your employee file (yes, you are entitled to it) specifically for documentation of how you meet expectations, etc. I would then take this information to a lawyer who specifically works in employment discrimination.

Good luck. I will check this post from time to time for any followups.

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I am facing the worst kind of discrimination because I am returning after an 8 year family leave. A Nurse refresher course is a $2100, so that's not possible. Hospitals say they will call me, but never do. I'm trying to keep positive that something will come up.

@glencovediva: I know what you mean; the dreaded "re entry nurse" label. You can be made to feel like the lowest life form in the nursing pool (and that is really no fun at all). I have had to deal with that myself and I will do my best to avoid time off again. Keep up the search and don't be hard on yourself. While job searching make sure you get your BLS & ACLS up to date, and if you haven't, get online and start reviewing. Listening to reviews or podcasts while you do housework or when driving in the car is one way to cover quite a bit of material over time, without chipping into a busy schedule. Look over EKG's, common meds and drug classes, + lab values. Finally go over code blue and rapid response type scenarios. Just getting the lingo back and mentally going over situations will help with confidence and ease the transition of being a nurse again once you find a position. Good luck. :)

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