I graduated and was licensed a year ago, cant find a job in the NYC area, although I have tried, right now it is a who you know job market here, anyway, I work for an agency since january 2011 but have only had 2 assignments one 2 months and one 1 month. Right now I am waitressing to stay alive when people ask me what I do for a living I say I am a waitress, however, my kids always correct me "Mom, your a nurse"! Well i feel guilty saying that cause I don't feel like a nurse, and really have given up on looking for nursing jobs, so I am a waitress, does anyone else feel guilty about calling your self a nurse when you never really worked as a nurse?
I work for an agency. They hired me as a nurse, but I have been doing CNA asssignments for the last year. I feel dumb going to a pts home to do aide work being an LPN (I know LPNs can do things like that anyway but still) We are not allowed to say we are a nurse since we are not there to provide skilled care. It can suck b/c if I am really connecting with the client I wanna tell them I am nurse. I have a few pts who do know only b/c I was their regular person. I start classes for RN in two weeks :redpinkhe I hope this nursing slump is over when I get out next year so I can get a great job!
You ARE a nurse! I definitely empathize with you, though. I graduated in December and the more time that goes by without a job, the less "nurse-y" I feel. I hate to say it, but I rarely even feel excited about being a nurse and having my degree anymore, and I rarely get excited about a new job that I've applied for anymore. And I've worked the same waitress job the entire time I was in school, I was getting really tired of the regular customers asking me every week, "So, still looking? (No, decided to bust my butt for a BSN and work for tips for the rest of my life! Do you want potato salad as the side for your sandwich??) I thought there was a nursing shortage?" and about a month ago everybody seemed to stop asking... but I feel like they look at me and think, Wow, she must suck as a nurse, because I keep hearing about a nursing shortage, and she still doesn't have a job! People just don't get the nursing job market right now, they look at me like I just walked out of a spaceship, and it's exhausting explaining it over and over... having said all of that, I stay very grateful for what I have and some days, like after "another candidate" has been chosen after an interview (yes, I've had a few!), it can almost be a battle to stay positive! But keep your head up, something will come along for all of us! :)
I share the OP's general feeling. I am a registered nurse, but until I have someone to...you know...provide nursing care to, I won't call myself a nurse. My standard answer is, "I have an RN license, but I haven't yet worked as a nurse." However, I wouldn't feel "guilty" if I called myself a nurse; I just don't feel that it's 100% accurate.
Before I got hired I just told people I was a new grad nurse who was looking for my first nursing job. They then told me how there is a huge nursing shortage and that it was impossible for me not to find a job. I then explained to them that there is no nursing shortage and that it is all ********. I then explained to them about the economy, nurses not retiring etc. Then then shook their heads because they really didn't care for that much information. But I wanted to explain it so I didn't look like the only unemployed nurse in the country(which isn't the case by far). To sum it up, unless you think they work in a hospital or know someone that works in a hospital and can potentially get you a job, tell them your a waitress and save yourself the time it takes to explain everything.
Thanks fellow nurses for your encouragement and suggestions, what a shame that so many of us are in the same position, new license, no job, but you made me feel better and gave me encouragement to go on, anyway your right I am an RN :redbeathe:heartbeat:)
Before I got hired I just told people I was a new grad nurse who was looking for my first nursing job. They then told me how there is a huge nursing shortage and that it was impossible for me not to find a job. I then explained to them that there is no nursing shortage and that it is all ********. I then explained to them about the economy, nurses not retiring etc. Then then shook their heads because they really didn't care for that much information. But I wanted to explain it so I didn't look like the only unemployed nurse in the country(which isn't the case by far). To sum it up, unless you think they work in a hospital or know someone that works in a hospital and can potentially get you a job, tell them your a waitress and save yourself the time it takes to explain everything.
There is a nursing shortage. It honestly just depends on where you are located. If you're in an area where lots of grads are being pumped out, then it will be harder to find work. Hospitals are not short staffed in my area, but LTC/Agency nursing/ Home Health/Clinics were. It might not be my "dream" field, but it is experience to me until I find where I would like to work.
but I feel like they look at me and think, Wow, she must suck as a nurse, because I keep hearing about a nursing shortage, and she still doesn't have a job! People just don't get the nursing job market right now, they look at me like I just walked out of a spaceship, and it's exhausting explaining it over and over... having said all of that, I stay very grateful for what I have and some days, like after "another candidate" has been chosen after an interview (yes, I've had a few!), it can almost be a battle to stay positive! But keep your head up, something will come along for all of us! :)
:redbeathe:heartbeat:)
HDHRN
210 Posts
I work for an agency. They hired me as a nurse, but I have been doing CNA asssignments for the last year. I feel dumb going to a pts home to do aide work being an LPN (I know LPNs can do things like that anyway but still) We are not allowed to say we are a nurse since we are not there to provide skilled care. It can suck b/c if I am really connecting with the client I wanna tell them I am nurse. I have a few pts who do know only b/c I was their regular person. I start classes for RN in two weeks :redpinkhe I hope this nursing slump is over when I get out next year so I can get a great job!