Frustrated as a new grad

[girl123]

Hi, I am a new grad. I applied for a Grad position but couldn't qualify. Everywhere I'd applied, I was told I'd require a Permanent Residency or citizenship. I made it to the interview for a job application as well but as soon as they found out I didn't have PR, they asked me to apply later after receiving a PR. I studied Bachelor of Nursing as an International Student. I am working in an Aged Care at the moment but I have always dreamt of working in a hospital. All the hospital would ask for at least a yr experience. I have a theatre experience from home with which I got job only in a rural area. Due to family commitment, I couldn't go to the rural area. After around 5 months of Aged Care Nursing experience, I was able to join an Agency from where I got to work at few hospitals. However, with a gap of almost 8 months, I lost most of the clinical skills. The only way to get into the hospital for me was through agency. When I worked in the hospital, I was treated really bad by the staff there. At some instances, I used to be teary but would hide my emotions. I can understand the staff expect equally competent Agency Nurse to work with them as the agency would be covering a regular Nurse's shift. If somebody asked me then I would let them know when I graduated as well but it seems like there is no choice left. The hospital requires experience. Now I can get job easily in Aged Care but not hospital. Do you have any suggestion? I am just frustrated with the way the hospital staff behaves with a new grad.

[mrsboots87]

Thebhospital staff isn't acting like this because you are a new grad. They act that way because it is irritating to be expecting a fully competent agency nurse and instead they got (by the sounds of it) a poorly trained new grad.

If you were in a new grad program of the hospital, the staff would be aware you were new and you would have a preceptor to train you. It would be expected that you are not fully competent yet and would have questions. You wouldn't have a full patient load and you lack of competency would not affect the other nurses.

This is not your fault as only a crappy agency would be sending you to hospitals with zero experience in acute care. Good agencies expect at least a year of experience in the area they send their nurses to. My facility uses agency sometimes and the nurse we get come in, get a short tour of the unit and how we chart and stuff, then they are set lose and must work as a regular employee for the day. They usually do fine because they have always been experienced nurses.

Your best bet is to try and get what the hospitals are asking for. I don't know what you have that allows you to work here, but a hospital doesn't want to put money into your orientation and risk you having to leave the country before you have worked there at least a year or two.