How come no one will call me?

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 16, 2012

Just because a department has a lot of ADN nurses on their staff now (hired years ago) ... doesn't mean they are looking to hire more ADN's today. Times change -- and they may be trying to increase their percentage of BSN's by giving them a preference in hiring. I don't know if that's what going on, but it might be a factor.

Also, ICU's may be giving a hiring preference to applicants who have certain things you don't have such as:

1. A recent student preceptorship in an ICU

2. Acute care med/surg experience in their own hospital

3. Recent step-down or some other type of intermediate care experience

What is the reputation of your ADN school with local hospitals? There are a couple of schools in my area that we rarely hire from. A person from one of the "lesser-respected schools" needs to have something pretty special in their background before we'll consider hiring them. Could that be part of the problem? If it is, be sure you are getting your BSN from a highly respected school to counteract that marketability "handicap."

I don't know if any of these possibilities explain your situation, but I thought I would put them out there in case they do apply.

AshleyO77 · Jul 16, 2012

Well most of the ADNs I was talking about are recent hires (within the past year). Also I just want to get my foot in the door in any unit, and I can work my way up to ICU. I just need a chance

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Jul 17, 2012

i was told by a few hiring managers and nursing recruiters of major hospital systems that most job postings receive 100+ nursing applications for every real opening and hr recruiters are not reading them all.

is your reputation good at your current facility? do you actually know some

nurses that work for your desired facility? if so, ask him/her (or all of them)

to recommend you to someone who will land you an interview.

by the way, do not make it known to anyone outside of a few loved ones that

your dream job is icu because no hiring manager of a medical surgical unit is

desperate these days. none of them in his/her right mind will risk hiring a

nurse who has his/her eyes set on another unit.

fyi, med/surg is not a below icu; it is just different. in fact, you will get

patients that belong in an icu working on a med surg floor. if you have a good

clinical judgment, you will intervene quickly to save a life before transferring

the patient out. good luck!

CDUBBYA · Jul 17, 2012

Have you looked at alternatives or moving to use your degree? Some areas are saturated. If you have seen Nashville there are plenty of musicians on every corner. Sounds like in your are there are many nurses on every corner.

Chad Collins · Jul 17, 2012

I agree a lot of areas are getting saturated I for see in the near future some nurses having to relocate. Here in East Tennessee there are dozens of nursing school pumping new grads out two or three times a year versus only X number of jobs. Nursing shortage my ______ .

FLmomof5 · Jul 21, 2012

I would advise 2 things....get on a MS floor in the hospital where you want to work. That is your foot in the door. Also, get your ACLS...you will need that to work in ICU.

animal1953 · Jul 21, 2012

I'm a newly certified CNA and I have found that showing up at HR with a copy of my resume, license and certs is getting me more first calls. I'm and older CNA (58) and I know that i have to work a little harder to get where I want to be. I'm also from the old school of applications (show up, fill out an app and include my resume). I have learned that combining the old school and the new computer age techniques work. You have to be proactive in your hunting. Good luck.

AshleyO77 · Jul 21, 2012

I would advise 2 things....get on a MS floor in the hospital where you want to work. That is your foot in the door. Also, get your ACLS...you will need that to work in ICU.

That's what's I've been trying to do now. I work in an acute rehab hospital but we don't have a MS floor. So I've been applying to every med-Surg job I see! And I have my ACLS, I'm working on getting PALS and IV certification! Thank you for the good advice!

Sun0408, ASN, RN · Jul 21, 2012

This may be a stupid question OP but why would you need a IV certification if you are a RN ??

Chad Collins · Jul 22, 2012

IV cert. is just one more piece of paper and extra training that hospitals can show off to the insurance company to get a cheaper rate lol. But seriously, the more practice and exsperience you can get is better for you and your patients.. :)

dee78 · Jul 23, 2012

Contact the nurse recruiter at the hospital and ask for a meeting. I established a relationship a few years ago and maintained contact with her. I couldn't figure out why I wasn't getting interviews but it was because I had stopped sending her an email with each application. A few weeks ago, I sent her an email and let her know that I had applied for several positions. She called me, pulled them up and sent them to the nurse managers. One of the managers called within seconds of us ending our phone call. So even though she knew me and I thought she was looking out for me, she really is overwhelmed and needed the extra reminder. BTW, my goal is in women's health but I am starting on the renal floor just so I have my foot in the door and money in the bank!!

Good luck!!