Help me keep my hope...please!!!

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In two days, it will be a year since I got my RN license. And I have not yet landed a job :crying2:

Let me give you a little info about me first:

I graduated in Argentina in 2002 with a Professional Nurse degree (a few units away from a BSN here), and I worked as a Level III NICU nurse for four years there. In 2006, I came to US because my father wanted to see me. He is a US citizen, so I could get the residency. I planed to stay just a few months, but due to personal circumstances, I decided to stay. And since all the study material I studied with in Argentina was written by US nurses, the idea of being a nurse in THIS country made perfect sense: I'd be like "them".

So I went to school to learn English, and then I studied to obtain my RN license through the BON. When I got my license, I felt like all the time I had spent away from my family in Argentina was worth it because I'd be able to help my brother go to school. But I have applied to nearly 200 places including everything from nursing homes to hospitals. I did a BLS and Diabetes Type II courses, but it seems like nothing of that is valuable to the recruiters. I am afraid that the fact that I am a foreign nurse with no experience in the US makes me a highly "non-hirable".

I know that there are many nurses out there experiencing this situation, but somehow, I feel like this is never going to get better. I am going to school to get all the pre-requisites to begin a RN-BSN program at a calstate, but I am a little discouraged right now. I love nursing, don't get me wrong. I'd work at any place to get me started. However, I hear and read so many negative comments about the future of nursing, that I feel like maybe I ought to do something else.

I really want to work as a nurse. If it ever happened to you, you know how hard it is to have had a job you LOVE, and then not being able to do it anymore.

UGH! I don't not know if I'm making any sense now. I guess that what I need from you (if you haven't fallen asleep with my post) is some words of encouragement or any advice you feel might help me not to give up?

Thank you in advance for your help

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I'm afraid I haven't any direct advice for you. I sympathise with your situation; you sound like you're going through a tough time.

Is there anyone you could ask for career advice? Maybe get some input on why you haven't had much luck so far?

Maybe you could try going to a few places in person; to me you sound very determined and very hireable..! - maybe if they could put a face to the application you might have more luck?

The only other things that come to mind are that often places take a while to get back to you.

Maybe you could improve your resume also, how it's presented? I'm not saying it's bad... but sometimes the only deciding factor between two candidates is their resume and how it's presented.

I wish you the best of luck at what must be a very tough time. But you sound determined and I'm sure you will make it. :) xx

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.

congrats on learning english as an adult and your other accomplishments! i do not know if it is because you were foreign trained. if you have a nursing license in your state and a right to work in the us, then none of that should matter. i am willing to bet that if your market is tight, then more than likely the problem is that you are a new grad. with that said you might have to search out of your area and possibly move away from family again to get a job. once you have work experience you will have more job options.

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Thank you for the replies!

I sometimes feel discouraged, and even though I know it is not a good idea to dwell on negative thoughts, some days is really hard to keep going.

But there are always people out there (like you) that remind me that there is always something I can do.:yeah:

Thank you again.

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its because you have ADN - recruiters really only want BSNs now at least in my area, continue with your BSN and find a part time job as a clerk in a hospital until than.

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its because you have ADN - recruiters really only want BSNs now at least in my area, continue with your BSN and find a part time job as a clerk in a hospital until than.

Thank goodness that isn't true, or I wouldn't have gotten my first job a year ago!

I don't know what to tell the OP, besides keep trying to get into a hospital or LTC, in whatever capacity you can work to get your foot in the door. Good luck!

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