Getting Hired as New Grad in Acute Care?

[nurset93]

Hello everyone. I graduated with my ADN last June & got my license in July. I didn’t have any luck landing a job in acute care (didn’t even get an interview) when I was looking for jobs last summer. I ended up landing a job at a blood donation place in September. I took this job with the idea that it’ll only be temporary until I can get into a hospital. It’s a pretty easy, low stress job but I'm already bored and it's only been 3 months. I still really want to get into acute care because I don’t want to lose the skills & knowledge I gained in nursing school and I don’t want to be stuck at this job for my entire career. I’ve applied to a few new grad programs & haven’t heard anything back yet & I’m worried that I will be excluded from these programs because hospitals will only want graduates with no RN experience. I understand I won’t get a call back for every single application I put in, but I also was under the impression that already having my license & certs & being enrolled for my BSN would make me somewhat of a more competitive applicant than the newer grads who still have those things pending. So my question is.. is it realistic to get hired in acute care as a new grad in my situation or am I wasting my time? Also, what other options/routes should I look into to eventually get into the acute care setting? I do want to keep my options open. I'd also like to add that I'm in the Inland Empire in California, so if anyone has insight on any hospitals/new grad programs in the area, please feel free to share. Thanks in advance!

[BAY AREA RN, BSN]

Sad to say I’m on the same situation but I’m now nine months in going on 10 and just graduated from my BSN program and I’m still having no luck getting into an acute care position.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

The Bay Area is notoriously hard for anyone without 1 year, or more, acute experience to get into the hospital. Many threads on here about this. You may have to move out of state, or other area of the state for a year to get that experience, if you truly want acute care. But, take it from an old timer, acute isn't the end all-to-be all. Explore the many specialty forums on here--LTC, corrections, dialysis, public health, outpatient clinics. Some pay better than hospitals, some less, varies by situation. Many options if you do your research. Remember though, that some options that look great require acute experience. Also, if it looks too good to be true, it is! Good luck