Frustrated RN returning to the field

littleneoRN · Nov 17, 2009

I don't know if it has much to do with experience, lack of experience, or absence from the field. Look around at the economy and notice that the jobs aren't exactly abundant right now. It's not just nurses with an absence from the field who can't find a job. It's experienced nurses, new nurses, and people in every field. Where do you live that dishwashers can make as much as new grad RNs? You either have some highly paid dishwashers or terrible nurse's pay...

TreehuggerRN · Nov 17, 2009

The days of hiring foreign nurses is over. Look around here and you'll find plenty of nurses, new and experienced, looking for jobs with no luck. Hopefully someone will have advice for you, all I have is a pile of decline letters.

All I have are a bunch of automated reject letters jamming up my computer.

Thank all these nursing schools recruiting new nurses. I can tell you right now where there is a community college next to a hospital who has a contract with the school to get their new grads so the nurses can walk from school across the parking lot to the hospital, just like a cattle chute! They've got them coming all day, why would they need us?

Nursing shortage my you-know-what.

DeLana_RN, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2009

Don't give up, fellow out of practice nurses; I had been away from practice for more than a year (having done chronic and then acute dialysis for years), and from stepdown nursing for several years; it took a few months, but I was recently hired on a hospital stepdown unit. My new manager is very understanding and giving me a full 12 week orientation. I can't say it was easy, but it can be done!

I always say it's wildcat days for healthcare employers; they're enjoying a glut of applications right now, turning away applicants left and right (in desperation I applied to a night shift on an ortho floor - something I don't even like - last summer; the manager had 20+ applicants and wouldn't even talk to me!) No sign-on bonuses, and I know I was fortunate I got my last pay rate (and not less).

But they have no foresight, do they? Some of the nurses on my unit are more than ready to retire... as soon as the economy improves. And we're seeing signs of that now, but do the employers? Hang in there, soon - very soon, I think - things will change again in our favor

Best of luck to all of you,

DeLana

pbirdy · Nov 28, 2009

OMG! Thank you for that ispiration. I am still looking. STILL!!! I got a call from one of the hospitals after I emailed them my resume. She said that since the season is coming on and that all of the snow birds are coming back, the hospitals were going to be very busy and they only needed experienced nurses. GIVE ME A BREAK. I was so heart broken. There are jobs out there but I can't get my foot in. This sucks. I have two nurse recruiters working on this and they are saying that they are hearing the same thing. I really hope that when the economy is restored, these big shots have a hard time finding us!!! I hope someday to be able to pick and choose......just like the good ol' days! Hmph!

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Nov 28, 2009

Hospitals are not the only place that employs nurses, have you looked at Home Care or Long Term Care as a re-entry?

Supply and demand, in a few years they will be crying for nurses, now experienced nurses are a dime a dozen. Best of Luck.

pbirdy · Nov 28, 2009

Hey MedSurg32RN. Yep, applied to hospice, home health agencies, etc. Same story.

I can't wait to hear them CRY!! lol