Hello everyone, I am writing this because I am depressed, need advice and need to vent!! (Sorry it's looong) I graduated from a very well resepected LPN program in June 2009 and was the very first one in my class to take the NCLEX test which was in July 2009. I was super excited when I passed and went the very next day to apply to several nursing homes and area hospitals. I had so much hope for a better future becuase I struggled through school and even had to go on welfare for the last couple months of school sine It was nearly impossible to work with the hours of school and taking care of my 2 girls.
Now, almost six months later I have no job!!! I am spiralling into a black hole of depression and I feel terrible. I feel like I have wasted a year of my life that I can't get back!! I was working as a medical assistant at a Women's Health Clinic and making decent money before nursing school and I must say that I deeply regret giving that up for Nursing school.To make matters worse, I can't even go back there because I basically was given a choice between them and school and I chose school thinking that it was worth it. The company was unable to accomadate my school hours or save my job since we were already short staffed. So I educated myself right out of a decent job:crying2:.
I have had 2 interviews since July, the one I though for sure I was a shoe in because he told me all the orientation dates and I had worked there in the past as an STNA, He even said that all need was a year experience and hopefully they would be able to give me that year or more!! but then days turned into weeks and I never heard from him again, I tried calling and emailing him but never got one response!! The other one was along the same lines, I interviewed and then heard nothing. Since those interviews in July I have not gotten a single call about a nursing job. I recently went a reapplied to all the jobs that I went back in July and so far nothing. What makes me feel the worse is that there are some people who tested months after me that are working, not alot, but there are some it makes me doubt myself and wonder what I'm doing wrong. I feel a little better because I know of several people who I graduated with that haven't found work yet either. But this is really wearing on my mind and my heart, I deeply regret becoming an LPN, I had a job where I could take care of my girls and contribute to society and now I sit home daily while fiance goes to work and feel like a loser, I am not contributuing to our household and we still struggle to make ends meet.
I have literally tried everywhere, but there are only 14 nursing homes in this general area, I have tried almost all of them altough some are too hard to get to for me since I don't have a vehicle right now. I have applied to the local hospitals and even a few towns over that I could get to on the bus. I spend hours on the internest daily searching up jobs and I even was excited to find a few unadverstied leads, Like I found one at at Select Specialty Hospital when I just called to inquire, but she told me that I needed experience. I even tried home health and agency I was again told that I neede 1 year experience. I really have exhausted everything I can think of. I try to call and follow up but they tell me "Oh we'll call you if we're interested." or they say don't call or we'll discard your application.
Oh and get this, I have gotten at least 4-5 interviews for medical assiting jobs , I have 3 years experience, BUT-- I was turned away by each and every one of them, Because they tell me they are worried about me being an LPN and that I will leave once a nursing job become available. I tried to reassure these employers that I would not do that because at this point I have no reason to believe I'll have an opportunity,I also tell them that it benefits them that they get an LPN for an MAs wages, but they still didn't hire me!! So now I have an LPN resume and a Medical Assistant resume which I have deleted everything about my LPN education, but then that backfires because the employers wonder what I have been doing for the past year since I haven't worked since Jan 09, then I have to break down and tell them in nursing school!! Now I can't even get an MA job because I'm an LPN !!! I have never heard of being discriminated against for contiuning my education, it feels like a curse and I can't win for losing.
I am at a lost as to what to do!!
I have thought about relocation but that is easier said than done. Plus it cost money that I don't have. I have stared applying across ohio but I don't even know how I'd make to to an interview out of town should I get one. Since I have to stay home with the girls while my fiance works. Is anyone else in this situation or have any advice?? I have talked this over with my fiance and I told him that If I don't have anything by the time college would start back up in August, I would be going back to school full time, so that at least I can bring in some nice refund checks form college. But now I worry if I should go back for my RN.I really don't think it's any better for RNs out there!! I would hate to be back in this predicament again. I cannot stand not working, I have worked since I was 15!! It kills my spirit to be unemployed!!
Particularly when I thought I was doing something to improve my life!! I feel like a failure and a bad mother, all I did was cry during christmas this year beacuse I couldn't give my girls all I wanted!! I am afraid that If I get my RN I will have again wasted time and Money and I won't be able to find work, I am considering leaving nursing altogether, for something else in the health care field but more stable. I really feel like date line or 60 minutes need to do an expose on this so call booming nursing field and how it's a lie. Yet hospitals and nursing homes remain understaffed!! Please!! anyone have any advice or been in this circumstance?? I would really appreciate it!!
