Frustrated New Graduate

[armymedic80]

Hello all.  I am a nurse with an associates degree that lives in the state of California.  I have been trying to get into the hospital setting and it's been a very frustrating experience.  I got good grade in school, have over 11 years experience as an LVN, have a military background, have ACLS, and even paid to have my resume professionally done to hit all the buzz words in the applicant tracking system.  I can't seem to get an interview for the hospital.  I have been stuck only being able to apply for Nurse I positions, as Nuse II positions require acute care experience, which I can get unless I make it into a Nurse I position; and these positions only seem to come along twice a year.  Now I am at 2 years post graduation, with no acute care experience and I have just now aged out of most new graduate positions.  All I want to do is be a good nurse, yet I can't get the opportunity to learn how to be one, because no one will take a chance on me.  It's maddening.  Does anyone have any advice on how to get into the hospital setting?

Signed,

A frustrated New Grad

[TKL]

I'm sorry for your struggles to get in. I don't live in California but my local hospitals are pushing heavily for BSN prepared nurses. Half of my unit went back to school to receive their Bachelor's, some nurses with exceptional experience and care to our patients....for it's the goal for Magnet status; it seems to be the new normal. 

Keep plugging away. Apply for anything and everything; once you get the experience, you can be picky to the type of unit and specialization of your goal. Keep thinking outside the box. Make connections on linkedin, network, ask recruiters what they are looking for..it only takes that one application. Good luck!

[valandria75, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN, NP]

I was wondering when I read your title if you were in California.  I’m here as well from the east coast, I completed my clinical for nurse practitioner here and have been stuck in the state sense.

Your complaint is one I have heard since I have been here, no one can get a job unless it’s in long term care and when I tell these nurses it’s not like that on the east coast, I worked at Duke and they have a new graduate program.  Unless CA changes you’re going to either have to work in LTC which is a shame because you miss so much working in the hospital.  Another option is an LTAC hospital in CA they don’t appear as hard to get hired.

I don’t know where you are in CA, I work with a LPN from Oregon and she is constantly talking about how limited CA is and the things she was allowed to do in Oregon.

I’ve been a nurse for 21 years I have a BSN,MSN, FNP with hospital experience and had a hard time getting a job in CA.  Go thru an agency that will take new grads, locum tenems sometimes they advertise they take new grads with permanent positions.  They’re emailing me all the time.

When I worked at duke we had a nurse from CA working the night and day shift, I asked her why would you come all the way from ca to work at duke for this pittance of a salary.  I’m in CA 9 years later I have my answer.