Frustrated trying to get a hospital job!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I live/work in the Pacific Northwest where getting into hospital nursing is competitive. I graduated with my ADN in March 2018, got licensed and then employed as a pediatric home health nurse soon after. I have spent the past year working in home health and doing my Bachelor's degree. I have now been licensed for 16 mo., have over 1 year RN experience/employment and completed my BSN at the beginning of June (2019). I have applied for around 20 hospital jobs, 2 specialty internships/residencies, but mostly med/surg positions, 1 psych and 2 urgent care clinical jobs. I'm so frustrated. I have done 5 interviews but no job offers yet. Nothing "bad" happened in the interviews...like oh no, I just blew it. I have had friends who are nursing professionals look at my resume - they said it looks great. I am now being offered a 1 year med/surg residency, which involves classroom training etc. The organization - a smaller hospital - wants a 2 year empoyment contract. A nurse recruiter told me I'm not qualified to work in the hospital setting, "acute care" without going thru a residency. I'm confused - when did it change in nursing that our schooling and clinicals aren't enough? What happened to job orientation and being with a nurse preceptor for x amount of shifts to learn and grow into the role? Where can a new nurses gain the desired acute care experience outside the hospital setting?

I would feel differently if this was a specialty unit or critical care, but we're talking med/surg, floor nursing. I just completed 4 years of nursing school, but that isnt enough....I must do a residency and sign a contract of employment committment for 2 yrs!

The hospital is a one hour commute (requires leaving my residence at 4:45 a.m) and pay starts $7/hr less than 2 other larger hospitals closer to me. I have a family to care for so adding 2 hrs of driving to my work day (3/12s) is a lot.

I am contemplating passing on the residency and getting a job in a SNF to gain more experience...maybe not getting into the larger hospitals closer to my home have to do with only having had one nursing job - in home health. Staying in home health is not an option; I'm incredibly bored and unchallenged, the pay sucks and often the work environment does also!

Any suggestions, thoughts or tips on what I've shared are welcome! Thanks for letting me vent.

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
18 minutes ago, BCPENPAL said:

Definitely not turning up my nose at med/surg...I picked med/surg as my 1st option for the residency. I respect and value the knowledge, skills and hard work of floor nursing. I am "turning up my nose" at a 2 hour commute, 2 year contract, as well as much less pay than what is offered at 2 local hospitals closer to me.

I understand, but you expressed that you could understand if it were a specialty; thus, my comment.

Honestly, you are not a new grad, so it's great that this hospital accepted you into their residency — many places wouldn't have considered you in the first place. I would think twice about turning it down unless you are getting some bites from the local folks. If this were your only way into a hospital job, would you take it? Just some food for thought! Good luck.

1 Votes

The definition of sacrifice I give to my sons - giving up a little now for something greater later. You are being offered a valuable learning experience that will pay off in a huge way in only one year. Your pay should increase to be on the same level or higher than your peers after you finished your residency. Forty-five minutes to an hour commute is not uncommon.

Let's do a comparison: one year in SNF - no closer to acute care job, one year in residency program - attained acute care job. Yes, you sacrificed $7/hr for a year to obtain (possibly) $7/hr more plus better benefits.

Rarely are there perfect situations. There well usually be some kind of sacrifice, inconvenience, discomfort, annoyance, challenge, extra effort in any situation. Try your hardest to obtain perfection, but don't make it an all or nothing deal, or a lose-lose situation - you're unhappy working in a SNF because it's not exactly what you want, or you're unhappy working in a residency program because it's not exactly what you want (although in a year's time it will give you what you want). Where's the happy.

2 Votes

I am frustrated seeing some people commenting here and saying it's always been this way or that it's been this way for a while, considering this is fully dependent on where you live and/or are trying to work. In my area, where I graduated in May with my ADN, there are a lot of large networks/hospitals as well as a few smaller facilities, and everyone in my graduating class was hired straight into the acute care setting--and about ten of us into higher level care (stepdown and ICU). In addition, there are about 10 nursing (RN) programs in the area (mix of ADN and BSN as well as one diploma program), and it is my understanding that there is little difficulty for new grads from other schools to get jobs in acute care as well. I am starting on my unit with 6 other new grads all from other schools in the area.

I'm so sorry to hear about what you are going through. It must be so frustrating and upsetting. Obviously I'm sure you don't want to move, but know that there is a shortage of RNs in many places in the US and it is much easier to get hired into an acute care setting in these locations.

I wish you the best of luck in your journey.

42 minutes ago, moretonel said:

The definition of sacrifice I give to my sons - giving up a little now for something greater later. You are being offered a valuable learning experience that will pay off in a huge way in only one year. Your pay should increase to be on the same level or higher than your peers after you finished your residency. Forty-five minutes to an hour commute is not uncommon.

Let's do a comparison: one year in SNF - no closer to acute care job, one year in residency program - attained acute care job. Yes, you sacrificed $7/hr for a year to obtain (possibly) $7/hr more plus better benefits.

This is exactly on point. The SNF will not get you anywhere near acute care if that is your goal. Yes, there are tons of skills that are learned while working in extended care but nothing comparable to the learning experience you will get during an internship program.

I am not sure if you are willing to temporarily move to a different state such as Texas.. This is where I work as a nurse manager. It looks like you have some misunderstanding when it comes to the nee grad program or the nurse residency program. I am working in a teaching hospital and we love our new grads however they still have a lot of things to learn Which most nursing schools cannot teach you. We are magnet and our new grads go through rigorous professional nursing development program, they are required to be in this program for 1 year and do an evidence based practice project. Studies shows that nurses who went through the NRP are more satisfied with their jobs and tends to stay in the profession and in the work place..

Our new grads feel very proud and knowledgable once they graduate from the NRP- NuRse Residency Program! It is a vizient accredited program and we all take it very seriously! 9 weeks of orientation and needs to attend monthly professional development class which is paid everytime. We do not have contracts because they tend to stay anyway...

i just wan to to fill the knowledge gaps about he NRP why hospitals require this...

2 Votes
Specializes in Nurse.

Please sit down with your spouse and decide what are the priorities for your marital relationship and for your well being of your children first.

Then determine how working as a nurse can fit into your and your spouses priorities.

Remember all types of nursing are needed and are of value especially to those in need of care. Be the best nurse you can be where you are currently employed. Learn new skills. Go to conferences, seminars and learn.

Be patient and wait for the right job at the right time. Do not just take a job to fulfill what you want right now. But "take a position" which allows you to have a balanced work and family life. It is difficult to meet the needs of others (which is nursing) when your home life is sacrificed and stressed.

3 Votes

Alot of these nurses sound bitter xx , thays whats killing nursing . Im gonna give it to you straight . It sounds like your limited by whats in your area . There are millions of jobs and “ yes your dream job is out there .” but the sad part is your gonna have to move . The good news is theres is a crap load of money your gonna get from that move and it usually comes with oerks a hefty bonus . Rural areas are the clickiest places ever . They get 1 star yelp reviews cuz usually they are all cousins or related lol . Just move you might like it . It seems to me you ready for a change . plys your pay will probably go up by a 2/3s

Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

If you are young, unattached and able to move - I would consider that. There are job opportunities in Wyoming, the Dakota's and some Southern and Mid-Western states. Some offer re-location and sign on bonus's. A two year contract for a new grad is pretty common though. It actually takes a lot of money to on-board and train a new grad so employer's want to get their money's worth. Believe me 2 years in the span of one's life-time is nothing. Then you apply and return to PNW as a seasoned, experienced RN. Wages might be lower in these areas but consider COL. There are also opportunities with the Department of Indian Affairs.

When I graduated with my original degree in communications in 1989 I sent resumes to every radio station in the continental US as well as Hawaii.

Hppy

8 hours ago, moretonel said:

The definition of sacrifice I give to my sons - giving up a little now for something greater later. You are being offered a valuable learning experience that will pay off in a huge way in only one year. Your pay should increase to be on the same level or higher than your peers after you finished your residency. Forty-five minutes to an hour commute is not uncommon.

4 hours ago, Anursefor15yrs said:

Please sit down with your spouse and decide what are the priorities for your marital relationship and for your well being of your children first.

Then determine how working as a nurse can fit into your and your spouses priorities.

There's always give and take as we strive to balance marriage, parenthood, and careers. You say you feel you are not challenged by home health to the point that staying it it is not an option. So that tells me that you're probably not going to be happy taking a professionally unfulfilling job, even if the hours are good for your family.

I fear that if you take a job the SNF job, you're going to be back here in a year's time with the same problem. Only next year, you'll be a year further from being a new grad, and probably less likely to land a residency.

Think about your long-term goals, and have a conversation with your husband about how you can make those happen. What are you willing to give up for an acute care job? What is he willing to take on?

When I switched careers and went to nursing school, I had two small children - one in preschool and the other starting kindergarten. Instead of getting into my dream program half an hour from my house, I was placed on the campus an hour away (if traffic cooperates) and the prospect of clinicals being within an hour radius of that site (so potentially much longer commute). I was feeling defeated, but my husband told me to take the seat in the further away campus. He said, "it's only for a year. You can do anything for a year. We'll make it work." It was that kind of teamwork that let me know he had my back, and we'd share the burden of the long hours together.

1 Votes
9 hours ago, Bcpenpal said:

Definitely not turning up my nose at med/surg...I picked med/surg as my 1st option for the residency. I respect and value the knowledge, skills and hard work of floor nursing. I am "turning up my nose" at a 2 hour commute, 2 year contract, as well as much less pay than what is offered at 2 local hospitals closer to me.

Although it might be unconscious, your posts come across as someone who feels entitled to that hospital job close to your house. I get it - you played by the rules and followed the path someone told you. Now you've done what you thought you were supposed to do, only to find that the rules have changed (or you were misinformed). It sucks. It really does. But the reality is that you're in a tough market and competing with new grads with their shiny new BSNs who have just come off acute care clinicals, while your clinical sites were a year ago. I'm not discounting the work you have done or the knowledge you have gained in home health.

Unfortunately, your work in home health doesn't directly translate to acute care. Also consider you did pediatric home health and are looking to adult med-surg, which are totally different populations with very different needs and common disease processes. As much as you want to think of yourself as an experienced nurse, you are not experienced in the things you'll need for med-surg. The only way to get acute care experience is to work in acute care. SNF isn't going to cut it, not in a saturated market.

I think this job can work for you, but only if you go into it with the mindset that this is an OPPORTUNITY you have been given, rather than a SETBACK you have to endure. Attitude is half the battle here.

1 Votes

I graduated with my Nursing degree in May of 2017, applied to well over 200 jobs in the state of Texas. It took me a year to get a job at a SNF, and I invoke Safe Harbor, because I wasn't even given the time to even read my patients histories. Had 22 patients on day shift. It took four hours to pass out morning meds. And night shift there were two nurses to 96 patients! Trust me you do not want to get to an SNF. When I invoke Safe Harbor they fired me which is illegal. But there's really not much I could do I only worked there for three and a half weeks, could have applied for unemployment, really wasn't worth it. The only thing that Safe Harbor did protect me against as if they were to come after my license because I invoked Safe Harbor before I started work. I waited and finally got my first interview ever at a hospital 2 months later, I started it at HCA facility doing an orientation. And I will tell you that it is completely different than an SNF or Home Health. It's very demanding, you don't know what you're going to get, and basically hospitals have been come hotel service. The nurse does everybody's job at some point. Cleaning the rooms, taking the trays, etc etc. This is just from my own personal experience. You can take it or leave it.

Specializes in Medical Surgical.

Hey there,

I'm not really sure why people are being critical on here. Your question is extremely valid, and I feel your frustration. In many parts of the country it is not uncommon at all to go right into a hospital job out of school, some places even LPN's are able to get hospital jobs out of school.

I live in the pacific northwest as well, and getting into the hospital system is very challenging. I think I got lucky. I just graduated this year from an ADN program and got a residency position at one of the larger hospitals. But, I have submitted applications to about 30 places and have only received one interview. I think the reason I was able to get my foot in the door is because I worked as a CNA at the facility, and was able to get hired internally.

You definitely have a tough choice to make regarding whether or not to take the residency/commute, or get a job at a SNF near where you live. I would offer another route - think about doing a clinic nursing job. Several of my classmates have taken positions at clinics and were hired with little to no experience. Many of the larger hospital systems have clinics, so if you get hired into one, you could then transfer easier into the hospital.

If you live in Oregon send me a message, I may have a lead for you to look into.


Take care.

1 Votes
+ Add a Comment