Feeling Discouraged

I'm sorry to sound insensitive, but I don't see the dilemma. If you need the money to take boards, get a job, any job. Most hospitals would be happy to have the warm body while awaiting boards. If that doesn't work, work in the food or retail industry. Perhaps you should have started looking for a job sooner than 2 weeks prior to graduating. I had my job lined up more than 7 months before graduation.

Awww, I don't think your being insensitive. I am glad someone responded to this post. I needed to know how long/when did other start looking for work prior to or after graduation. I don't want to start something and then have to say sorry, but I have to leave to do what I busted my orifice to do. That is the dilemma. Basically I would have to lie to an employer and pretend that I am staying, when I know there is a 9:10 chance I am going to leave. Most place, once they find out that you have gone to school for something especially in another area that doesn't pertain to their specialty will most likely push your app to the side for the next person, that will be there for more than a few weeks.

Maybe you could find a temp agency in your area! They offer jobs that can range from a few days to a few weeks. They kinda understand that you won't be there for much longer.

A job is a job and right now you need something, anything to get the $$$ to take the NCLEX and get that nursing job. And I think you are looking at your glass 1/2 empty. Who is to say that you won't start out at facility A and they won't love you, you won't love them and everyone in the ends decides you should stay at facility A and work as a nurse when you take and pass your NCLEX?

I also had my job lined up months before graduation but I'm lucky in a sense that I can work 90 days w/o taking the NCLEX in the state where I work and all the hospitals around here love GN's and hire many, upon many 2x per year. And where I live, an hour drive is nothing. It's very rural and if you want to work, you are going to drive to find a place to work.

Good luck!!!

I just wanted to add that it's different for everyone. An example - I graduated nursing school in St. Louis but I have moved to Southern California. In St. Louis, everyone had a job lined up at least a month before graduation, and most have already started working since Missouri allows graduate nurses to work for 90 days after graduation. When I came to California, I realized that graduate nurses from December are just now starting to send out applications and interview, since you must have at least an interim permit to begin working (and some facilities even require the RN) after graduation.

My suggestions to you are to either sign up for some temporary work, or do the CNA route. However, if you do this, be honest with your potential employer! You never know if you will love it and then end up wanting/getting a RN position there.