HUGE RANT Since when does LPN experience not count for ANY kind of nursing experience

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Okay, I've gotta vent. I've recently graduated from RN school, taken my boards and I'm officially an RN. Before completeing my RN I was an LPN for over 3 years. I've also recently moved from Nashville to Philadelphia.

All that taken into consideration job hunting has been a complete nightmare. Just yesterday I talked to a nursing recruiter about jobs I had applied for and was told they only hired nurses with more then one year nursing experience - which by the way - it didn't say experience was needed on any of these posts. I replied I've been an LPN for over 3 years and now and working Per diem for an agency until I have something more permanent. She then replied thats not nursing experience.

**Another completely different post** Does anyone else find it pretty messed up that these "nursing recruiters" have never been nurses and have this black and white mentality....these are the people that filter which applications the nursing managers see.... you know, the ones who have been nurses?! Seems completely insane to me!! In my opinion they are missing out on some of the best nurses by weeding out those with LPN experience - I mean they could hire a new RN with LPN experience and cut orientation in half... do they not realize this?

I completely get that this is not "RN" experience but in Kentucky and Tennessee LPN experience was something. I've had many LPN friends get hired at a hospital fresh out RN school and their LPN experience is accounted for even in their pay. I also know different states do things differently. I'm just so frustrated I feel like I've taken so many steps backwards moving up here. It sucks!

Does anyone have any suggestions on how someone like me could get an interview?? I sound so bitter in this post and really I'm just frustrated, in a new state and wanting to be in a hospital. Should I apply for CNA jobs to get my foot in the door?? Advice!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

What brought you to Philly? Was the move/relocation absolutely necessary? I'm asking only because it is home to one of the most glutted nursing employment markets in the US. Frankly, there are so many nurses in the area that recruiters now have the luxury of cherry-picking who they prefer to hire.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how someone like me could get an interview??
When it comes to getting your foot in the door, it is less about what you know and more about who you know. Networking and forming connections is the way to bypass the gatekeepers (a.k.a. recruiters). Good luck to you.
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My husband got a fantastic job up here. We may move back south if things don't start looking better.

It's always who you know, even in not so saturated market. :( that is why I networked with as many people as I could via Facebook, people my husband works with and people they knew and messaging people I hadn't talked to in high school. I've gotten very creative and one actually lead to an interview. That was so competitive that they interviewed more then 25 nurses for 2 spots. I also have a friend from high school who knows a surgeon who works for Main Line Health system and has talked to multiple recruiters for me but still nothing.

Are you from the area? Do you know if Main Line Health hires ADN? That is probably the problem...

Thanks for responding!

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You will know that nursing does not seem,for lack of a better term,"cohesive".

My professors in my Lpn to Rn program told us from the jump that Lpn experience does not translate to Rn nursing experience.

We start from 0 experience.

You do not mention if you have an Adn or Bsn.

I actually think in the Philly metro that trumps everything else.

Edit. I see you mentioned an Adn.

That is more of the problem IMO.

Philly has so many Bsn programs that i guess they pick from those grads.

You might not be able to start in acute care.'

Have you tried Home Health?

It seems Bayada Nurses and Maxim is always hiring.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

I recently graduated from my LPN-RN program also.

While they gave me 2 years credit of RN experience in relation to pay, they are still counting me as a new grad RN.

I applied to an up-coming vaccination clinic, just for something to do 1-2 days a week, to fill in the other four days I'm off from my full-time job, and the agency said they wanted an RN with at least 1 year's nursing experience. I said to her, I've been an ER LPN for four years. I have started hundreds of IVs, administered countless Td and Hep B vaccines, and I'm ACLS, PALS, and TB certified. I think I meet the requirements perfectly for the position you are hiring for. Sadly, the recruiter said it had to be RN experience. That was a shame, I've always wanted to do a flu clinic or vaccination clinic.

I truly do feel your frustration.

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I completely understand that. It just sucks cause I've worked so hard to finally have my RN (plus moving 3 states while completing it) and now in the area I'm in they're telling me that's not good enough. Don't get me wrong I want my BSN and will get go back to get it on just thought (in my perfect world, ha.) I could get on at a hospital and they could help pay for some of that cost.

I have had an interview with a home health agency (not bayada or maxim) that was super sketchy. Example - wanted me to do "bus runs" for 2 hours at 21 an hour and had me fill out tax info before I was even interviewed. I had to pass.

I do work for an agency now but that was only through my networking on fb and things like that. The agency can only put me at select places for now with little RN experience. I also only got a job here because the nurse recruiter I came into contact with was a nurse, imagine that! So he knew how valuable and knowledgeable LPNs could be.

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Some areas are still so overrun with nurses that they can be super picky about everything. I do understand LPN experience is not the same as RN, but it should still count for something. It's ridiculous!

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I've had this happen too. There seems to be a perception that LPNs in acute care are "med passers" or glorified CNAs. Unfortunate really. I handled my own patient load in the hospital, did admits, handled the doc and family calls, basically everything the RNs did on my floor that was in my scope. I found that experience to be pretty useless on paper on its own. To a hospital recruiter I don't have any acute care experience.

The trick is getting some face time with a recruiter and selling them on your abilities, knowledge and experience. Let them know you understand LPN experience is not equal to RN experience, but explain why it is still extremely valuable. What skills have you refined? Time management? Priritization? Critical thinking?

Best of luck.

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Hey kiszi,

A lot of the online apps given an area where you can type experiences and qualifications so I've been trying to write a short to the point paragraph about how I've already had experience with time management and prioritizing care etc.. I also think it maybe a state to state thing... My LPN program was very difficult and we (not saying others aren't) we had to on top of our clinicals complete a practicum of 120 hours where you were one on one with a nurse learning.. I also had to do this for my RN. I understand that PA doesn't require this..

Would you all suggest just stopping by an HR office? Should I make appointments? I guess I've been super spoiled and always known someone on the "inside" and now when it would REALLY help.. I don't have anyone. Lol!

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Does anyone know if Reading or Allentown areas are more promising? I'm definitely ok with driving an hour for a hospital job and experience.

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Specializes in Pedi.

I'm not following this statement:

In my opinion they are missing out on some of the best nurses by weeding out those with LPN experience - I mean they could hire a new RN with LPN experience and cut orientation in half... do they not realize this?

You said that they are only considering candidates with 1 yr of RN experience so, no, your orientation would not be cut in half compared to experienced RNs. They're not passing you over for new grad RNs with no experience whatsoever but for experienced RNs.

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You're right. I should've said, they could hire a new RN with nursing (LPN) experience at the new grad rate knowing that they have some nursing background and have succeeded at being a nurse. So not comparing a new grad RN with LPN experience to a seasoned RN comparing the new grad RN to a new RN with LPN experience. I realize they are able to pick just out of the seasoned RNs in the Philly market. Just frustrated, I've feel like I've finally gotten to this moment as an RN and now I've moved to a new place and I'm told, that's not good enough. I'm sure many others feel like this or have felt like this. I just gotta have faith that I'll get a hospital job sometime. In the mean time I'll take whatever job I can get. :)

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