Frustrated New Grad

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Cardiac Nursing.

Well, I finished my RN program and have been applying all over the place for a job. Amazingly no one seems to want to hire me. I've had attendence issues before at previous job and all were due to being sick, but that doesn't seem to matter to anyone. All anyone see's is how many jobs are on my resume, which I can't remove any of them. No one seems to want to give me a chance as a new RN. Apparently KY doesn't have much of a nursing shortage since I've applied at about 12 different hospitals all to no avail. I'm beginning to feel like I wasted my time completing my associate's degree since what happened when I was an LPN is being held against me in a big way. How can I convince anyone that I'm not an unreliable employee when they won't even give me a job. Oh and the job I did have, that was supposed to become full time after graduation....had no job for me. Nor could they keep me PRN as they said they had no hours available for me to work, so they gave me two choices. Resign, or stay on payroll and be resigned in 6 months of not working. Not much of a choice huh, especially since I used their tuition assistance.

Sorry this is such a long post, especially since no one knows me. But I've been looking for a job since Feb as I was planning on working 2 for awhile to get caught up on bills. Now instead of having what I thought was a guaranteed job at least is now gone and I'm stuck with another short time job on the resume. :banghead:

Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

Hate to say it but AD in nursing dosen't go as far as a BSN. The hospital I work for will not even interview a new grad AD nurse. You may end up having to practice through an agency or in a LTC center to get some hours under your belt before the hospitals will consider you. As I have advised others before- a geographic change may be needed. There are large areas of the mid west that are in a nursing shortage- just not your area. If you can relocate as little as 100 miles or so you may find oppertunities more abundant.

There are plenty of ADN RN jobs in Atlanta, GA. Are you able to relocate? And what about the previous poster recommendation to work in a nursing home. I would think that since the current company you work for don't have a job for you then you will not have to repay the tuition assistance.

Specializes in Cardiac Nursing.

I don't know if I'm able to relocate yet. I'm still trying to get my provisional license so I can get the authorization to test, then I can take my boards. As for working in a nursing home, I've worked in hospitals for the past 6 years. Around here working in a nursing home makes it even more difficult to get a job in a hospital, which is really sad. I'd like to stay close to home in case my mother needs help, but I also may have to make a move. So far I've applied within 84 miles of where I live in KY, within the state. I've been thinking f applying to some of the other compact states, but don't know if I should wait until I've taken my boards or not. See to get my permenent KY license I still have to work a 120 hour clinical internship, even after passing the exam. What I don't know yet is if I can do that in a compact state.

Did you do Excelsior or some other distant learning program?

And yea I think it would be best to take your board first.

I know you want to do hospitals, but it is more important just to get RN experience. Once you have worked as an RN for 1 year you can do agency. You have med/surg experience that you can prove..........it doesn't matter that it is as an LPN

Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

How many days did you miss at your previous employers. I'm not trying to be negative...but if you've been working your previous job..and suddenly they don't have hours why is that? I'd have asked for an evaluation if you didn't have a recent one. How many jobs do you have on your resume?

Keep trying..apply everywhere..and when you do find a job..work your tail off. Do all the extras. From the sounds of it maybe there are issues you aren't relating.

Specializes in ICU/ER.

1st things 1st. Pass your boards. You may not be getting hired because what if they hire you for a nursing job and you dont pass, then they need to go through the hiring process again. Our hospital will not hire a "graduate nurse" because they may not pass, then we have spent time and money in the hiring process for someone who can not work in the capacity hired for.

2nd when you say there are lots of jobs on your resume. you dont have to put them all on there. Just put the ones applicable to nursing. If you have 5 fast food restaurant jobs over the course of 2 years, just put 2004-2006 part time fast food restaurant work. Trust me the hiring mgr is only looking at your nursing history.

3rd something is going on with your current employer, find out what. It would be easier for them to keep you since you know the routine, have been trained to the unit etc etc etc. They are obviously letting you go, find out why. You have the right to know, if you do have attendance reasons ok-that is their right to replace you with someone who will show up. If it is something else, find out now so you can be aware of what ever it is.

But main thing is study and pass your boards, you will be much more desirable with an actual nursing license vs a diploma that says your a graduate.

Specializes in Med/Surg.
Hate to say it but AD in nursing dosen't go as far as a BSN. The hospital I work for will not even interview a new grad AD nurse.

In response to your employers attitude (not yours) Some nurses, such as myself, do not want a BSN, I'm not in the least interested in being a manager or anything other than bedside nursing at least not at this point.

How can it not go as far if you can't get it started? :smokin:

Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.

Zoobyli...

I agree with RacingMOm.....You need to pass your boards. Let me tell you though....are you being assertive? Are you calling recruiters and bugging the you know what out of them? I'm a graduate nurse and there is a particular job I was wanting and I was on the phone with the recruiter every single week. They told me they'd call......if the phone didn't ring, I called them. They told me they would call again......the phone didn't ring......I called them. I kept bugging them, not begging but being very assertive by telling them that I would make a really good employee and would love to have an opportunity to prove myself.

Sometimes, it just takes a little assertiveness with these recruiters....let them know how interested you are. It's too late to go back and change your resume for these particular hospitals. But you can call them.....find out the status of your application. And keep calling until they're tired of your calls.....They will hire you. That's what happen to me. Good luck...and remember, be assertive!

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
I don't know if I'm able to relocate yet. I'm still trying to get my provisional license so I can get the authorization to test, then I can take my boards. .

That may be your problem getting employers to give you a chance. What's the hang up in getting your authorization to test? Have you not graduated yet? Is there some other unusual aspect of the situation that is causing you to have a problem getting authorization to take the test?

Some hospitals that may hire you after you actually graduate and pass the NCLEX may be saying "no" at the moment because they are only hiring actual RN's -- and not taking a chance on giving a job to a person who may or may not become an RN soon. My hospital (not in Kentucky) has been burned too many times by students who have not passed boards yet -- particularly from schools with low pass rates and/or those that have an exit HESI exam. We are getting much more cautious about hiring anyone from those schools before they at least have the authization to take the exam. From the schools without a required exit exam and with high NCLEX pass rates, we are a more willing to consider students who have not yet graduated.

Could that be part of your problem?

Specializes in Cardiac Nursing.

In KY you have to work 120 hours before your able to take your exam, meaning you have to have a job. I think that is about to change (keeping fingers crossed) since a lot of people are having the same problem. Places don't want to hire for your clinical internship that is required by state law because there is a chance you might not pass your boards. In my case if I didn't just have me work at the level I am currently licensed for, as an LPN until I passed since the RN provisional licensed is revoked if you fail.

Specializes in Cardiac Nursing.

In KY you have to work a 120 hour clinical internship before being given you ATT. I just recieved an email today saying they have finally changed it. I will still have to work 120 hours of a clinical internship before getting my actual license, but now I can take the test first. Time to study more lol.

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