Hard for GNs to get jobs in St. Louis?

U.S.A. Missouri

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I'm planning to relocate to St. Louis after graduation in May and would like to find out if it's relatively easy for GNs to get hired in St. Louis, or if there are so many nursing students there that it gets pretty competitive. Here in Austin, you can be pretty confident that if you did okay in school, you're going to be able to get a job. From the Colorado board though, for example, it sounds like a lot of GNs who even went to school in CO have a hard time finding work there. For the record, this is a career change for me out of finance, and I will have an ADN (like an ASN). I've done well in school and think I would make an attractive candidate, but I don't know the culture in St. Louis as far as how much of getting a job gets lined up informally through clinicals and tech jobs. I'm particularly interested in working ER. Any feedback is appreciated!

I work at St. John's and we are only hiring internally at this point. We don't even have enough positions for everyone who already works at St. John's and graduating nursing school in May

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my husband and i just relocated from ms to wentzville, mo (about 35 min from st louis). i am fresh out of nursing school and have an adn. i am finding it very difficult to get any responses to the applications i submit online with bjh and ssm. i decided to go to the hr departments for the hospitals and was told that everything was handled online. i am really interested in working icu or er, but i am willing to take anything to get my foot in the door. i am very eager to start working. does anyone have any suggestions??? :nurse:

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I will be a part of SSM new graduate nurse program the start of Aug and when I was talking to HR they said they will be having another new grad program in Oct. but won't start calling people for interviews until after Aug 2. Hope this helps.

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Specializes in Pediatrics - hoping to get into the NICU.

^^^ I'm going to be apart of the SSM New Grad Nurse program as well. I am in the Aug. group. They already told me which hospital I will be at and everything. The only thing that makes me nervous is that once this 8 week program is over I won't "officially" have a job because they will set up interviews with floors that have openings and I will have to interview for a perm. floor position - since this program will rotates you to different areas of the hospital you are placed at. But I'm just thankful for the program (it is paid and that is a big +) and if I don't get hired on a perm floor at the end of this program I will just thank God for the experience and keep hunting for a job. But I am totally going to stay postition and keep praying through this process. I'm actually excitied & kinda of nervous :)

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I guess I was under the impression (and pretty sure the HR person I talked to said this) that I would have a job, but the area (such as ICU, ER or MS) was based on how well I did. If I did well and wanted ER and there was an openning I would get it or if I just did alright I may not get that position but get MS. I hope this is the way it is, since I moved from Wisconsin for the job lol. That being said I'm sure its like any other job where if you do horrible your not going to get a job, but if you complete what is required then you get the position. I could be wrong but thats how I understood the program was set up.

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Specializes in Pediatrics - hoping to get into the NICU.

Well this might just be for me since I am going into an area that wasn't even going to be apart of this program - but they decided to join. It it 6 of us and 3 people were hired on a floor along side this new program (so b4 that were in the new nurse program they were already hired onto a perm. floor), the other 3 of us were not we were just invited to join the new nursing program.....so at the end of the 8 weeks if we do well in the program then they will offer us interviews fot perm. floor postitions BUT I was also told the same thing that I would likely get hired on a perm. floor......hopefully on the 2nd all info/ends and outs will be given. Like I was told that there were no Peds positions and that SSM's pediatric hospital was not going to be in the program and I get a call telling me they are and that I got in - so I'm super excitied to start because that is what I wanted because I thought I was getting med/surg for sure. This is SSM's 1st time during this program from what I was told so I think kinks are being worked out.....lol.....but I think you will be fine don't worry.

PS. My friend that graduated with me was in the last group that started in June said she really like it.

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Patrick and Precious-

A question if you don't mind. Were either of you working as patient care techs previous to your hire? The reason I ask is this.....we are just finishing our first semester in an accelerated program. A recruiter who came and talked with us was very blunt about how they don't hire anybody to the GN programs that weren't already working with them by the second semester, and the such....

We are all wondering how we are going to get through the next two weeks, yet alone the remaining semester without throwing 25 hours a week work on top of that! Just wondering what your situations were prior to entering the GN program.

Thanks!

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I never worked as a patient care tech or CNA and never worked for SSM health care before. I did however have a 10 week internship in a ER dept (in Wisconsin) the summer between my Junior and Senior year. If you look at the Futures Nursing Academy website page it says "Participation in outside programs or activities while obtaining degree." I would think this could be many things such as working as a patient care tech, an internship or volunteering...? It might be different for your specific program's relationship with SSM, I'm not sure. But I could really doubt that they "never" take anyone that hasn't work for them from your program. Also I'm not sure when you will be graduating, but it seems like more and more jobs are opening up throughout the nation as time goes by for new grads, although I will say that Missouri has a lot more jobs for New grads then WI and MN. I guess my advice would be to do as much as you can to make your resume look good and still have good grades and some what of a life :)

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Specializes in Behavioral Health & Emergency Medicine.

Hey, congrats to all the GNs (and soon-to-be GNs) who've hired for the SSM Futures program. That's fantastic! I'm graduating from UMSL's accelerated program next week, and I'll be starting with SSM in the Futures class in October. I was hired directly for an ER position at DePaul, but my understanding is that anyone who's hired for the SSM Futures program will have a job after the 8-week orientation is over....the only issue is that many will not know until the orientation is over where they'll be working. (Patrick, that squares with what you said.) So work hard, you'll be fine. And hopefully, you'll land where you want!

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I just completed the FUTURES program last week, I was in the August group. Just a warning for anyone starting in the October group - SSM waited until the last week of the program to assign us to our positions. Majority of us had absolutely no say in where we were assigned or a preference for day or night shifts. Towards the beginning of the program we were given a chance to write down our top 3 preferences regarding what location or type of unit we wanted. I don't know why they gave us the form to fill out because no one seemed to actually look at them.

I was told by a team leader last week that SSM realized BJC was accepting very few new grads, St. John's was accepting only internal candidates, and as a result they decided to capitalize on the reality that they could get away with filling a bunch of positions in areas that they were struggling to fill. Most of us were really upset by the way things ended and how we were placed. If we had been told in the beginning of the program or during interviews for the program that we would have no say and be placed in areas of highest need things would be different. We were treated as warm bodies, not as individuals. Many of us are looking for positions with other organizations because we are so disappointed with the way SSM has treated us. Just a warning to all the FUTURES candidates to come.

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

Hopefully you won't find that: a bird in the hand....between the economy and the fact as you point out, that a lot of local hospitals aren't hiring new grads, you and your fellow new grads may find out you should feel fortunate to have gainful employment while obtaining experience and aren't being forced to ask "do you want fries with that" while waiting for that perfect position you seem to feel you should have gotten....good luck!!

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Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg.

Completely agree WDWpixieRN! I began the Futures program in June, but from what I understand, most of the people in my group knew where we were going after the program. I actually got hired for my position in March and found out afterwards that all new graduates were being put into the Futures program. I really liked the program and thought it was a great review of what we learned in school. It also helped me study for boards. Unfortunately, the people who started in August and thereafter will have to settle because many of the positions were filled by those who started in June. I actually was suprised that SSM hired so many new nurses. I'm grateful to have a job, as I know there are many graduates still looking. Is it my ideal job? No, there are some things that could be better, but I'm learning a lot and I'm happy to have a pay check. I'm also impressed that SSM is investing so much in educating new nurses. For those who are not satisfied, I wish you well in finding new positions. I know several people who would love to have your jobs.

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