I have been without a job since April and was terminated from that job (that is a long story) and I have been getting unemployment benefits. Nursing jobs around here are hard to find and there are a lot of unemployed nurses and medical assistants looking for jobs. The hospitals in my area do not hire nurses and about a year ago they laid off over 30 LPN's because they only want RN's. They said it was because they needed to cut back on staff. Anyhow, I got a call yesterday from a place I interviewed back in March for a home health care agency. They had given the position to another nurse who has over 30 years of experience but they are now needing to add a second nurse and wanted me to come in and interview for the position again. I was excited and went in yesterday and interviewed and they said they would get back with me within a day or two. About an hour later I got a call from them offering me the job and wanted to know if I could start today. I told them yes. I was told at the time of the interview that it would pay $17/hour. She brought it up, I didn't. I find out today part way through the day from the nurse that I am orientating with that it is only $17/hour per visit and every visit can't take more then an hour. We do not get paid for the travel time in between visits and about the most we could fit in a day would be 6 people. Ok so then at this rate I have two kids in daycare and one in school which is $5 for two in daycare and $7.50 when they are all at daycare. With all the extra travel time between the clients houses and the distance I have to travel to plus the time it takes to takes the kids to daycare and pick them up I am going to be making less then minimum wage. I am suppose to be working 2 1/2 to 3 days a week. I need to have something other then why did you leave your last job and having to say because I was terminated but at the same time this is really not worth it. I may have to use my van at times to travel with when the company car is not available and they only reimburse you for 26 cents a mile. This is low isn't it? My husband gets 51 cents for from this employer and he works for a hospital. On top of all of that the nurse told me today oh and you know you aren't getting paid your full amount of wages when you are orientating right....Ummm...No. She said you will find they don't tell you a lot of things when they hire you because then they would have a hard time finding someone to take the job.
I am frustrated and upset that I was mislead to think I was going to be paid $17/hour not per visit. I don't think it is worth my time but yet I need something else on my resume at the same time. My unemployment I was bringing home $774 every two weeks and now I will barely be able to gross $600 not taking away what I have to pay in taxes and daycare. Now my unemployment is going to be gone either way so now I am pretty much screwed. I have been applying for everything since April and get very few calls. What would you do stay until you found something else or just not even bother with it between their time and your time?
