Getting seriously depressed

I recently got my license this month and have just started my job search. After reading so many posts about new grads not finding work, it's starting to look grim. What doesn't help is that my parents think I should be able to find work right away. I keep telling them that it may be months before I can actually get hired. Of course, they work with clients who are nurses and telling them that their hospital is hiring (which may be the case but I'd probably be competing with a lot of people). When I tell them I may have to move out of state to get work, they are going to freak out since they're already upset with me for wanting to move out of the darn house if/when I get a job in my area.

For what it's worth, I'm looking at grad nurse programs rather than the typical med-surg positions. Now that we are no longer in a state of shock about our relatively unusual situations, it's time to become sniveling little schemers to get what we want. Don't let these tunnel-visioned administrators stop you from getting what you want from your career...we WILL find a way to make it happen! :)

I graduated May 08. I worked for 8months in LTC and am now unemployed. It really sucks to not have a job, esp. when I have so much debt to pay off, but things will get better. For now, apply to nursing homes. There are alot out there who are hiring (at least in my area). Don't be too discouraged. Where do you live?? Cheer up! Things will get better for us. In the mean time keep voluteering to keep up on skills. It's better than nothing!:anpom:

I just want to be support for you. I am sorry you are going thru this, its supposed to be getting better as "they" say. but i just dont see it yet for my area either. when they said that, that is when cuts were starting to hit us the worst.

I wish you the best of luck in everything that you go for! Now, i am not trying to get all religulous or yoda on you, but everything does really happen for a reason, and maybe moving is what your life needs and you dont know it.

good luck man!

-H-RN

Lynette you are lucky nursing homes are hiring around your way. They are really not doing too well here in my area. When I started in the LTC facility I worked in we had a decent census then with some passing and some only in for

PT and rehab they were discharged and its now low. I have been told since the housing market is really bad and homes are not selling that seniors needing LTC do not have the money to be placed in for care and they are staying in their homes longer with home health care aides going into the home. I have been to many LTC facilities in my area and told that there is a freeze on till things pick up and the census picks up. What a shame this all is for us nurses.

They say there is a shortage of nurses but I called the hospital in my area Wednesday and was told by a woman there that they let a group of employees go on Monday and everyone was in a state of shock. They did not expect it to happen there. I do hope things pick up soon!

I want to thank everyone for their responses, it really helps to get a few words of encouragement...

I wasn't happy when I had to move. I hate where I am now and would move back in a heartbeat, however, I can't take being unemployed anymore. I don't have a bottomless pit for resources. Before you move, you should job hunt, and get that job before you go through the expense of moving. You don't want to be caught in another bad situation. Good luck.

Thanks for the feedback caliotter, it means alot to hear from someone that's been through a move and get their perspective on it

For what it's worth, I'm looking at grad nurse programs rather than the typical med-surg positions. Now that we are no longer in a state of shock about our relatively unusual situations, it's time to become sniveling little schemers to get what we want. Don't let these tunnel-visioned administrators stop you from getting what you want from your career...we WILL find a way to make it happen! :)

Thank you mezcalaro, I know that being in a similar situation you can really identify, and your words really ring true for me. I've been looking on indeed.com for new grad rn programs, and there are actually quite a few out there & available, if you'd like more details, PM me

I graduated May 08. I worked for 8months in LTC and am now unemployed. It really sucks to not have a job, esp. when I have so much debt to pay off, but things will get better. For now, apply to nursing homes. There are alot out there who are hiring (at least in my area). Don't be too discouraged. Where do you live?? Cheer up! Things will get better for us. In the mean time keep voluteering to keep up on skills. It's better than nothing!:anpom:

I hear you there lynette, my student loans are starting to come due again, and I hate to keep putting forebearances on them. I've had interviews at some LTC's in the area, but unfortunately, even they are not hiring. I live in NY state and things are pretty rough here for everyone....

I just want to be support for you. I am sorry you are going thru this, its supposed to be getting better as "they" say. but i just dont see it yet for my area either. when they said that, that is when cuts were starting to hit us the worst.

I wish you the best of luck in everything that you go for! Now, i am not trying to get all religulous or yoda on you, but everything does really happen for a reason, and maybe moving is what your life needs and you dont know it.

good luck man!

-H-RN

Wow, very well put NewRN, I don't see it getting any better here either, there was an article in the local paper today about our local hospital ending the year with a defecit. I directly quote the article "to help reduce expenses, the hospital is not filling 41 vacant positions", wow, that's 41 positions going unfilled, granted not all are nursing positions, but what's going to happen when things pick back up?, jobs, the devil in the details is when are things going to pick back up? Your words of "everything does happen for a reason" ring very true, I've used that axiom to get through many bumps in the road of life...Thank you!

No education is ever a waste ... hang in there! It is pretty scary out there, but it's going to get better. (I'm an optimist. :) )

Thanks Lunah, truer words have never been spoken in regards to "no education is ever a waste". I'm generally an optimist too, but I'm really starting to wonder when things will get better

just please someone tell me I didn't just waste three years of my life and get $25 grand in debt for nothing.....

Education and life experience is never "for nothing"... sometimes you get more bang for your buck than others but it's never worthless... I think that's a healthy philosophy to hold. Unfortunately, you just happened to have a stream of bad luck... family issues, the economy... a few years difference and it would be a whole other story!!! In other words, it's not like you just up and tossed $25 grand into the wind cuz you have no respect for the value of money. You made an investment in yourself that at the time looked like it would quickly pay off. So now, by no fault of your own, it looks like it may take a bit longer to pay off financially. Sometimes, I like to imagine that there are so many ways I could've "lost" money... a lemon of a used car, slipping on the stairs and racking up health care expenses, unemployed for a length of time, kid needs a round in rehab that insurance doesn't cover... so the money "lost" on that expensive education at least went to something useful that will stick with you for life in a positive way. Here's to fending off that creeping depression!

Lynette you are lucky nursing homes are hiring around your way. They are really not doing too well here in my area. When I started in the LTC facility I worked in we had a decent census then with some passing and some only in for

PT and rehab they were discharged and its now low. I have been told since the housing market is really bad and homes are not selling that seniors needing LTC do not have the money to be placed in for care and they are staying in their homes longer with home health care aides going into the home. I have been to many LTC facilities in my area and told that there is a freeze on till things pick up and the census picks up. What a shame this all is for us nurses.

They say there is a shortage of nurses but I called the hospital in my area Wednesday and was told by a woman there that they let a group of employees go on Monday and everyone was in a state of shock. They did not expect it to happen there. I do hope things pick up soon!

Ya no, I heard the same thing, but I did a google search of nursing homes in my area, went to their websites and quite a few of them had jobs posted for nurses. I've only applied to one in Oakland, but an planning to make my rounds in Alameda and SF. There are alot in Oakland and San Leandro. More than one would think! It's just time consuming! Isn't it amazing that we are having a nursing shortage and yet a hiring freeze. Can't be good for patient care!!!

I recently relocated to another facility. At first the thought of 'moving' and not knowing what to expect scared me a lot. Once when I settled down, I realized that things're not as bad as I thought. My facility had relocation compensation and everyone's very supportive.

If I were you, I'll move to somewhere to get some work experiences. After you get 1 yr of nursing experience, you can always move back to your community. "The first job is always the hardest".