How in this world do you ever get 1 year experience?

[Leonardo Del Toro, RN]

I graduated in 2010 and nursing have been a bumpy road for me. Thousands of applications later and I still have not been able to work in acute care. For the past 4.5 years I've been busy in SNF, home health, clinics. I pass meds for 36 patients, change catheters, put IV's, tend to the dead and dying, assess, order meds, talk to MD's admit discharge, know a lot a about ventilators, trach suctioning, PICC lines, wound care, J tube, diabetes, and overall patient care. However none of these skills seem to be of any importance as long as you have the abbreviation SNF attached to it. I have an insanely strong back and speak 3 languages.

I figure that the only way I'll get my experience will be going someplace where no one wants to go. Because here in California is literally a waste of time to even apply to any hospital. I was looking just at Sutter Health in my "jobs page" and I have applied more then 500 times in the last few years. I sometimes think that these jobs don't even exist.

Can anyone tell me of places that might be hiring RN's with my kind of experience. My dream and only dream is to work as a traveler around the Bay Area, and all I need is one year of acute care experience. So I decided to stop everything is go after that. Can anyone help me?

Thank you so much

[windsurfer8, BSN, RN]

Unless you absolutely have to stay in cali I would look out of state. Check out places like Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska. They all have low unemployment and maybe opportunities. Even if temporary...get a couple years under your belt then back to cali. The more flexible you are the more options you have.

[Libby1987]

I know a rural hospital who has taken nurses with your experience. Look at the foothills.

[CountryMomma, ASN, RN]

North Dakota is hiring nurses of all specialties, and some hospital chains are offering sign on bonuses.

[tsm007]

One of the nurses that was hired in at the hospital I work at had 6 years nursing home experience, no hospital experience and they hired her. I only have a year of nursing home experience, no hospital experience and I was hired in. There are places that will hire you. It seems like that's a regional thing. This nurse said she lived in New Jersey and it was impossible to get hired into the hospital there. I have heard the same about California. If you're willing to move, you shouldn't have a problem finding a job.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

1) temporarily move out of state

2) "acute" LTACH or "acute" rehab (the key question is whether they take a lot of tele patients or not)

3). agency/travel work, but account for the fact that agency nurses get one day orientation at most.

4) get ACLS certification and basic dysrhythmia course done to sweet up your application

5) get super-upper friendly with acute care nurses you encounter. Network and make friends.

[FloatRN19]

You can come float at my level one trauma center if you'd like.

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

Are you able to relocate?

[ShaneTeam]

Something else you might try is finding out if any of the local hospitals have a SNU, apply for it, then transfer to another floor after a while.

[Leonardo Del Toro, RN]

Where?

[Whitesranch, BSN, RN]

The hospital I work for would eat you up!!! Everywhere in Cali you need one year? What about new grads? Crazy.

[Jensmom7, BSN, RN]

Slightly OT, but just a reminder: if you move out of state to pursue your goal (with your experience, a hospital job outside of crazy Cali seems attainable!), if your ultimate dream is to return, don't let your Cali license lapse.

Keep it active, and while it will be an added expense for awhile, in the long run you'll be glad you did. Less hoops for you to jump through on your return.