Please feel free to share your stories and give me any feedback new graduates and experienced nurses!
I am having trouble coping...this economy had broken my heart...
I have read so many horror stories about new graduates working for a hospital- quitting, getting fired or just having a tough time or even experienced hires having trouble in this market..I have not got the chance to even get my feet wet..
I will try and make this long story short:
Why did I become a nurse? Nursing is my second career and my passion. I decided to go back to school for nursing when my first was born. I had such great respect for the nurses who cared for me and my daughter at the hospital. I always enjoyed the mentoring aspects of my first career the most, but always felt something was missing. I was a natural helper in high school, started a national fraternity on my campus in college and have always felt the happiest when I am helping others.
What's my background?I graduated from nursing in May 2008 from a prestigious school, passed boards immediately, great grades, top notch recommendations. It was a very difficult journey and I am so proud to have accomplished becoming an RN. I drove an hour and a half each way to school every day for two years. I slept 6 hours a night. Got home at 6 pm took care of my daughter and went to bed at 9 am so she would develop well and have a loving supportive parent. Woke up at 3 am every morning to do my homework and then drove an hour and a half to hospital for 5 hours and then school for 4 hours and back home.
So what happened? In 2008 I was 5 months pregnant with my second and I did not apply for jobs.....I asked for many opinions and everyone I asked thought it was o.k. to wait.....I got an interview in 2009 when my baby was 5 months old.....it was my first interview...round 1 and round 2 went very well.....round 3 not so well...I had a bunch of staff members interviewing me...they all seemed so angry and unhappy...I felt uneasy and didn't answer a few questions as well as I could... after the interview I thought to myself how did this happen....within the next year 2009 (when the job market plummeted)
What has happened since then? I have had 3 interviews...I got the interviews by people I met and networked with throughout the year who were impressed with me....the jobs I interviewed the managers interviewed me as a favor but each time HR person said I was a good candidate but they were flooded with experience nurses and could not hire me....and some of people interviewing me seemed angry that they had to interview me as if they were forced into the situation?
What have I been doing over the past year? For the last year I have been working for a pediatric home care company and I am happy to least have a job...but I can't help coming to work every day depressed thinking I am some sort of loser who could not get a hospital job...Also last month I applied for Bayada (the best and most selective) and got hired...so now I work for two home care companies.
Any advice or comments from someone else going through this???
Specializes in NICU, Peds, Peds Office, Home Care, Sale.
I feel for you. I am in the same boat; 2nd career, did LPN first, worked a few years in sub-acute rehab, killed myself doing RN program, working, raising a child. After 100+ applications, I finally got a hospital job; in acute rehab. Big step up in the world, eh? I hate this job with a passion, have always wanted the ED, have ACLS, PALS, TNCC, doing CEN now, but my LPN experience "doesn't count" in the hospital world, and Acute Inpatient Rehab, really is "not acute hospital care" Can you say rock and a hard place? I am close to throwing in the towel, this job is killing me physically, and wiping out my sense of humor and compassion. I have never met so many mean, angry people in one place. It is soul-deadening. Maybe those of us 2nd career "new" nurses have to start re-thinking our value to our new profession. Lots of us can combine our previous professions, i.e., law, teaching, marketing, IT, and our nursing knowledge into a new role. I have the feeling that hospitals either are not aware, or are incapable of being aware of the bargain they are getting with the 2nd career nurse. Does anyone agree with the above?
I agree. Back in the saddle with 25yrs experience and working perdiem (after 5yr absence) at the Peds office I left. My only offer since starting my job search in Oct '09. Recruited by the Nurse manager and happily welcomed, for the most part by the other nursing staff. And probably not going to be hired on permanently. I applied for a currently open RN position. MD's are leaving the job posting up to see who else applies. They are looking for "younger employees". Worried about my ability to get "up to speed". I am there, other than 'hindsight activated' spending time teaching and triaging! I have learned their electronic medical record system, phone system, computer scheduling, new immunization schedule, Rx med changes, lab testing.....and have only worked a total of 3wks full time since being hired (in the middle of the H1N1/flu season fiasco)! So, can they save money by hiring a new grad? Yup. Might they see how it goes bringing back the college kids to room patients during the busy summer/school physical season? Yup. This whole nursing career thing is not at all good for your self esteem.
Unfortunately I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. I need whatever income I can bring in. So I am swallowing my pride and taking whatever is offered at this point. Meanwhile, I'm looking into holistic nursing. Something I've always been interested in. And more in line with being the nurse I aspire to be. As the saying goes...God never closes a door without opening a window... Maybe this office is doing me a favor.
Specializes in NICU, Peds, Peds Office, Home Care, Sale.
I dreamed of working on the Med/Surg floor. I graduated RN school in December 2009 and I can't find a job anywhere. I'm applying for jobs all over the state and even in other states. I send out an average 20 resumes/applications a week. I'm the only one in my class who hasn't gotten a job. People are constantly trying to "help". They ask oh have you applied here? How come you haven't found a job yet, because there are a lot posted on careerbuilder? They say it has to be my resume, but I've had my resume looked over by a state employee who deals with resumes and finding people jobs everyday. They are convinced it is something I am doing wrong. People who aren't looking for a job have no idea what the job market is like. the job market sucks for everyone looking right now. Places have the pick of the litter right now. I'm getting tired of seeing jobs posted with, "1 year experience required" or "3-5 years experience required." I loved doing clinical in the hospital, but I doubt I will ever get a job at a hospital in this economy.
Don't feel its you. Many hospitals in my area have hiring freezes on. They still have job postings, but are not hiring. Less than 1/2 the classmates of a new grad I know have found a job. You will get a job. Wishing you the best of luck.
wishin*on*a*star
9 Posts
I agree. Back in the saddle with 25yrs experience and working perdiem (after 5yr absence) at the Peds office I left. My only offer since starting my job search in Oct '09. Recruited by the Nurse manager and happily welcomed, for the most part by the other nursing staff. And probably not going to be hired on permanently. I applied for a currently open RN position. MD's are leaving the job posting up to see who else applies. They are looking for "younger employees". Worried about my ability to get "up to speed". I am there, other than 'hindsight activated' spending time teaching and triaging! I have learned their electronic medical record system, phone system, computer scheduling, new immunization schedule, Rx med changes, lab testing.....and have only worked a total of 3wks full time since being hired (in the middle of the H1N1/flu season fiasco)! So, can they save money by hiring a new grad? Yup. Might they see how it goes bringing back the college kids to room patients during the busy summer/school physical season? Yup. This whole nursing career thing is not at all good for your self esteem.
Unfortunately I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. I need whatever income I can bring in. So I am swallowing my pride and taking whatever is offered at this point. Meanwhile, I'm looking into holistic nursing. Something I've always been interested in. And more in line with being the nurse I aspire to be. As the saying goes...God never closes a door without opening a window... Maybe this office is doing me a favor.