Help-Desperately Need Advice!

Nurses General Nursing

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I graduated in May 2010 with my BSN. I had a job lined up at a smaller hospital but they ended up dropping that position and resending the offer at the last minute. By that time it was too late to apply for internships/graduate positions because they had already been filled.

It is now almost October and I am STILL looking. I am so discouraged and cant help but be freaking out. I have applied everywhere and called so many different hospitals with the respose always being the same; I need previous experience or I will have to apply for intern positions for January. I can wait for January (right now I am doing medical exams for insurance companies so I have income). My worry is that being out of school for so long will keep me from being competative in January.

Any advice? Does anyone know of hospitals hiring grads or that dont require RN exprenience. I have my license and 1 1/2 years of extern experience in Surgical and ICU areas and I ran a whole medical facility for a camp last summer. I never thought that I would be having a problem finding a job. So bummed out.

Thank you- I would appriciate ANY insight!

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Try home health agencies. Sometimes they don't require a lot of experience. While it may not be your desired hospital job, it is a job.

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Specializes in OB, L&D, NICU, Med-Surg, Ortho.

Are you applying specifically for specialty areas?

~Sherri

"A new nurse thinks like a mom. An experienced nurse thinks like a lawyer."

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Specializes in M/S, ICU, ICP.

it would seem to me that if you are doing physicals for an insurance company then you are doing nursing, it is just not "hospital" nursing. use the experience and put it on the resume. you will have assessment skills many people won't have when you look at the overall picture. nursing is not just med/surg or speciality anymore. good luck!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Truly, January is not that far off. Since you have income and potential for January, I would hope that you could find a way to feel a little less anxious.

Can you go ahead and start apply for the January internships?

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Specializes in Med/Surg and ANCC RN-BC.

Keep your head up. The market is tough out there. I passed my boards in april and didn't get my job until late august. I would do anything that you can to gain experience. Look into doing flu clinics in your spare time well doing the insurance gig. That way you can keep building up your experience.

Good Luck!!!

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Specializes in Critical Care/Coronary Care Unit,.

Unfortunately the job market is tough right now. However, I would suggest that you go ahead an apply for those January internships b/c it's not that far off...and those things can be filled by October...so hurry up and apply. Then follow up with the nurse recruiter. Call the nurse recruiter personally...and bother them every 2 weeks or so until you get that job...but make sure you come off as charming and not annoying. You can work for a home health agency in the meantime so you can have some income in the meantime although it's not the job you want...work experience is still work experience....put it on your resume. Good luck.

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Nursing home is another alternative. You do not have to stay forever. It is better to be in a nursing position, than to be at Wendy's, or sitting on your duff.

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Are you applying specifically for specialty areas?

~Sherri

"A new nurse thinks like a mom. An experienced nurse thinks like a lawyer."

I am applying for all areas. Med surg, er, icu, anything.

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Truly, January is not that far off. Since you have income and potential for January, I would hope that you could find a way to feel a little less anxious.

Can you go ahead and start apply for the January internships?

I have called and spoken to some of the hospitals and they are opening up in october. I will be applying for those. Hopefully I will have better luck.

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it would seem to me that if you are doing physicals for an insurance company then you are doing nursing, it is just not "hospital" nursing. use the experience and put it on the resume. you will have assessment skills many people won't have when you look at the overall picture. nursing is not just med/surg or speciality anymore. good luck!

i thought that was "nursing experience" too. i have been putting it on my resume but so far no one is that impressed with it. i am suprised because i really do use alot of my nursing skills for the job.

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Specializes in OB, L&D, NICU, Med-Surg, Ortho.

Do you have a professional resume? A cover letter?

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