Graduating May 2010- any advice?

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Hi,

I'll be graduating from a 2-yr RN program in May. I have a prior bachelor's degree in Biology. I live in Massachusetts. I'm hearing the job market is scarce right now and I'd really like to do L&D or pediatrics...

any advice out there as to where to apply?

I absolutely DO NOT want to start out in a nursing home...

Thanks!

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Specializes in TCU.

Hi!

Congratulations!

I am also graduating in May 2010!

I can tell you what I am doing right now is that I am tweaking my resume and will be putting in applications everywhere in my area in the next couple of months (I live in Minneapolis). I am looking for specific jobs at hospitals which DON'T require any RN experience (GN friendly) and there are some of those. However, all of the positions (in my area) that are more specialized (OB, Peds, Neuro, NICU, PICU, PACU) require at least 1 year as an RN Med/Surg or work in an Acute Care setting.

I suggest going to hospital websites and looking up nursing jobs to see what they have to offer, check to see if they offer a nurse internship/residency and get your resume together. There are nursing students already putting resumes in, and getting hired before graduation.

I have decided that I may have to take a job in a LTC facility to start off because I know a young lady who graduated Dec. 2008, passed the boards Jan. 2009 and didn't get a job until Nov. 2009. Now I will tell you she had some things working against her: she had never had any nursing experience before (0 CNA, TMA, PCA, etc.), she was initially very picky (she only wanted to work in a hospital), and she limited the area she wanted to work in (she only wanted to work in the major Metro area). She ended up taking a job in a LTC facility just outside the Metro area. Me on the other hand I have a ton of experience as a CNA, mostly work in LTC, but have also worked with patients young and old on vents, patients with AIDS, Huntington Disease, serious head trauma in various stages of coma, etc., so I know I won't have a problem landing a job right away, it just may not be in the area I want to start in.

Good Luck on your job hunt!

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congrats :yeah::yeah::yeah:

i'm also graduating in may, sorry cant offer any advice from a rn's stanpt. but, i am using this break to get together my resume, cover letter, & recommendations. i am a lot more flexible than most new grads/ students. it's not the unit i'm concerned w/ i just want to get in2 a big teaching hospital, doesn't matter to me much where i end up. i would like to eventually go to the er, but i am not in dying need to start off there. i am getting a bsn so i figure i can get my feet wet, then figure out what i wanna do from there. i got a job in a big teaching hospital on an ob floor (not really interested in ob), but it's experience and a potential job after graduation. my advice, don't limit yourself ( i agree nursing home & psych completely off limits- times aren't that rough ;)) apply 4 all units! even if it's on a med- surg floor, within a few months u can transfer to the unit u really want. i just got a job in this hospital & already they offered me a full- time position & a slot as a nicu gn after i graduate. 95% of my classmates want to go to the or, icu, nicu, peds, & ob & those are the ones that end up on a med- surg floor for their preceptorship & working in a small hospital they hate. bc guess what the ecomomy is horrible, these hospitals are being picky enough with who they hire, we are in no position to be to narrow in what area we want to work. the major hospitals in my area have already declared not hiring anymore adn's and majority of the gn positions are going to those that currently work for the hospitals. this recession won't last long, unfourtunately we r graduating in the middle of this mess, but when things pick up we will have the experience to go & do what every we want. look n the bright side:idea: hope this helps & good luck!

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hello!

i am graduating in may 2010 also. however, i am an international student. does anyone know hospitals around ny area or in nyc that provide residency or sponsorship for a green card. please help!

thank you!!!

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congrats :yeah::yeah::yeah:

i'm also graduating in may, sorry cant offer any advice from a rn's stanpt. but, i am using this break to get together my resume, cover letter, & recommendations. i am a lot more flexible than most new grads/ students. it's not the unit i'm concerned w/ i just want to get in2 a big teaching hospital, doesn't matter to me much where i end up. i would like to eventually go to the er, but i am not in dying need to start off there. i am getting a bsn so i figure i can get my feet wet, then figure out what i wanna do from there. i got a job in a big teaching hospital on an ob floor (not really interested in ob), but it's experience and a potential job after graduation. my advice, don't limit yourself ( i agree nursing home & psych completely off limits- times aren't that rough ;)) apply 4 all units! even if it's on a med- surg floor, within a few months u can transfer to the unit u really want. i just got a job in this hospital & already they offered me a full- time position & a slot as a nicu gn after i graduate. 95% of my classmates want to go to the or, icu, nicu, peds, & ob & those are the ones that end up on a med- surg floor for their preceptorship & working in a small hospital they hate. bc guess what the ecomomy is horrible, these hospitals are being picky enough with who they hire, we are in no position to be to narrow in what area we want to work. the major hospitals in my area have already declared not hiring anymore adn's and majority of the gn positions are going to those that currently work for the hospitals. this recession won't last long, unfourtunately we r graduating in the middle of this mess, but when things pick up we will have the experience to go & do what every we want. look n the bright side:idea: hope this helps & good luck!

i'm a may 2009 grad and i have been looking for my first nursing gig since i finished my degree...didnt had much going for myself,except maybe persistance and computer literacy...i didnt had a great gpa nor did i have outstanding degrees (i only have adn),resume,cna experience,nothing but i'm bilingual and i'm learning a third language..so i put all the language that i can speak on my resume to practically beef it up...well still i couldnt land a job in my home state...although i managed to land couple of interviews but still no offers...i even tried one long term care even though i was determine to work in a hospital to gain some acute care experience...by the 6 month mark (recently) i had enough of the job hunting in my state...in the act of desperation i started to apply out of state (although i'm kind a mommy's girl if you know what i mean)...there is a great thread on allnurses called"does any hospitals in the country hiring new grads).you can obtain a list of states and hospitals that may be interested in hiring new grad. so i went ahead and check out those states and hospitals (i applied online) i received a couple of call backs (from texas,luisiana,indiana,wisconsin) although since i'm from midwest i didnt want to move to the other side of the country and thank god i phone interviewed with a nurse manager from des moines iowa and she offered me a job at a largest private teaching hospital in the state of iowa on telemetry floor...kinda ironic since i actually wanted to start a career in a smaller rural hospital and now i will be working in downtown major metropolian hospital...not that i'm complaining but it is funny how things turned out at the end..i know that finally luck has struck me and trust i went through a very dark period of my life for the past couple of months so my advice to you is keep applying online and follow up on you app...i think that is what got me this job,this nurse manager saw that i was really eager,interested to work on her unit and gave me a wonderful chance to grow as nurse!gl!!

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Specializes in Cardiac, Derm, OB.

May of 2010 also, I have been Nurse Externing for last 2 semesters in SPU/PACU (pre/postop) and will be staying with them unless a better internship offer is made. Fortunately, I worked hard in the beginning to get into a unit I was interested in. I can also say the supervisor over all the externs worked wonders for us. She worked to get us in units we are interested in. If you have an extern position available work and if gives them an opportunity to see how you are and how much you are able to apply your knowledge so far. Also, utilize all resources available.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF US, AND GOOD LUCK!!!

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

First off, congrats on your upcoming graduation.

I graduated last May 2009 and began looking for jobs in January 2009. I was fortunate enough find a grad nurse program that paid well. Was it my ideal job? No- I was working with pts on vents, and I really wanted to start out in oncology or hospice.

That being said, please realize the job market is very competitive. There is nothing wrong with taking a med/surg OR LTC position. It is excellent experience, and who knows, you may find your niche' there.

I would start applying for jobs NOW.

all the best,

Diane, RN

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Specializes in ED, ICU, lifetime Diabetes Education.

Congratulations to you all, you are at the last leg of your journey to becoming a RN!

The only advice I can give is to start applying for jobs now! Networking is very important in this economy. Let everyone know that you are graduating soon and are looking for new grad/internship positions. Sign up for linkedin.com and join some of the nursing groups there. I secured my current position about 5 weeks before I graduated last May yet I still occasionally get contacted by head-hunters wanting my resume.

If you are able to, start working as a CNA at the hospital and the area you are interested in. Contact the nurse managers of hospitals that you did your clinicals at. Talk to friends who are nurses and who have graduated ahead of you about where they work and if there are openings for new grads.

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Specializes in TCU.
Congratulations to you all, you are at the last leg of your journey to becoming a RN!

The only advice I can give is to start applying for jobs now! Networking is very important in this economy. Let everyone know that you are graduating soon and are looking for new grad/internship positions. Sign up for linkedin.com and join some of the nursing groups there. I secured my current position about 5 weeks before I graduated last May yet I still occasionally get contacted by head-hunters wanting my resume.

If you are able to, start working as a CNA at the hospital and the area you are interested in. Contact the nurse managers of hospitals that you did your clinicals at. Talk to friends who are nurses and who have graduated ahead of you about where they work and if there are openings for new grads.

Thanks GadgitGurlRN! I am already doing a lot of what your suggesting (Networking), and am also tweaking my resume (my cousin is neighbors with a woman who is an editor at a newspaper here in MPLS) and I am going to have her help me with that. I am going right now to linkedin.com and start a profile there!

Cheers!;)

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