New ADN grad needs advice

[sistasoul]

Hi all,

I am here in NH and am having a very hard time finding a hospital job. I follow up with phone calls to HR after about a week to no avail. I know more new grad positions will be opening up in January but I do not want to wait that long to work.

I was thinking about applying to LTC/rehab facilities but feel I would lose any skills I learned in school.

I did work as an LNA till February 2008 in a hospital and quit to concentrate on getting through school.

Does anyone think it would be a wise idea to apply as an LNA at the hospitals I want to work at until a position becomes available for a new grad? Or would this look bad on my part? I really don't mind working as an aide until a new grad position becomes available as I enjoy patient care.

Moving is not an option at this time because my lovely mother is 75 years old and needs help at times.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Peace and grace to all

H...

[doglvr]

If I were you I wouldn't give up on finding a RN position in a hospital. The jobs are out there!

I just graduated with my ADN last month as well. I realize what a pain is it to try to get in touch with HR! I believe the key is you just have to be friendly and persistent, but not annoy them. Also what I ended up doing was sending my resume out in the mail. I noticed I did get a few call backs after I did that. Just try to figure out the name of the nurse recruiter and at all cost avoid addressing your cover letter to "whom it may concern." I also heard from other students that they went directly to HR and filled out an application at the hospital, so you may want to try that too.

It's very frustrating, you think about how hard you worked in school and just want a job and begin your nursing career. Just stick with it!

Good luck!!

[Jules A, MSN]

Is there a rehab center in your area that utilizes LPNs? That might give you more skills than a regular LTC but in any event I would definitely start working as a nurse. It is my understanding that once your credentials have surpassed a position ie. LPN to RN you can not practice beneath your scope.

A majority of my classmates didn't buy into the "new grads must have a year of medsurge or you will turn to dust and no amount of training will ever be able to show you how to insert a foley" anyway and have gone into many different areas right out of school. It may be different here because nurses are in short supply but the hosptials have great orientation programs for new nurses that haven't worked on a particular floor before.

Good luck and bless you for hanging in there with Mom. Any chance she would move down here? We'd love to have you both and jobs are plentiful. :)

[plumbcrazy03]

Hi- I too am a new ADN grad ( March 08) and finding jobs in hospitals was very difficult so I did go with LTC so I could begin working. I also worried about losing skills I learned in school, however I have learned a lot and have done a lot in the LTC facility. I still applied to hospitals while working here and am going to start a job in a hospital next month. At that time I am going to work both places. I think that by going with the LTC atleast I had the chance to practice the skills I learned and was able to work in the field I chose as a career.

Good luck to you.

[BonnieSc]

I would suggest working as an RN where you can find a job now. You don't really know whether more new grad hospital jobs will be available in January, or if you'll get one if they are available. I know people who have looked for jobs through several application cycles--first thinking "the job market is saturated with new grads right now, it should get easier after a few months", then thinking "well, the hospitals will start rolling out their new grad openings soon for the new graduating class"... and the jobs have never come.

[MelodyRNurse]

I am in a similar situation, but I have worked in been an LPN in LTC for over a year. I have been applying to hospitals with no call backs and no luck with speaking to an actual person in HR. I can already see where some of my mistakes are by reading some of the posts. I take my boards Thursday and if I pass I will reapply with a different approach.

My fear is that working in the nursing home is putting up a red flag to the hospitals. I am also afraid that the longer I stay (with my RN) the harder it will be for me to get into a hospital. I have learned a lot of clinical skills in the nursing home as well as patience and time management, but it is a different kind of nursing and I want to try acute care.

I don't have any advice, but I'm interested in what the other posters have to say because I am in a similar situation.

Good luck, let us know what you decide.

[txnurse32]

I worked as a LPN for a yr while I finished my RN program. I am waiting on a background check to come back but I am being offered a RN hospital job good pay/sign on and because I had supervising experience in ltc in a few months they are going to make me the charge nurse.

[MrsMommaRN]

adn here. jobs are a plenty in ne ohio. you have gotten some good advice. i would also take a job in ltc. you may find that ltc is your niche or really find out what you dont want to do.

where did you do your clinicals? check out those hospitals. best of luck to you and congrats on obtaining your rn.

[sistasoul]

Hi all,

Thank you to all who have replied. I got some great advice. I will apply at LTC facilities and go from there. I really do love the elderly so maybe this is the path I was meant to be on. I am just a little worried about expectations of becoming a supervisor because I have RN after my name. I would rather have hands on care and time with my patients-especially at this point in my career

Peace and grace

Heather