I have no idea what to do

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I graduated in May from nursing school. I took loans out to go through because everyone kept telling me it'll pay itself out once i graduate. SO I have my BSN, my state license, and surprise! no job. neither does about 30 of my classmates, i'm looking in ohter states (i'm in NJ) i'm looking everywhere, even in PR (where my family lives) and there is nothing. So now i have loan payments that start in december, and no job. ANd i've applied to non-nursing jobs to. there is nothing. Can anyone help?

Specializes in Inpatient Adult Oncology.

Oh...I forgot...you can also get a hold of whoever your loans are from...you can get them put into a longer derfment period if you don't have a job yet...

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Specializes in L&D, FPC, MedSurg, Ortho Trauma, ER, Onc.

You might want to look at getting a license for one of the compact states (search their BoN sites to see which one is cheapest!) and that may help out with some of the licensing issue...

From personal experience - when I left Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene, TX they were getting quite a few folks from out of state because they were actively hiring, unlike many other places. My old NM alone hired 4 or 5 GNs this past summer. HMC also staffs the 2 prisons in the area.

As others have already mentioned, you can look into Indian Health Service, Public Health Service and the VA systems. Usajobs.com also has listings for nurse positions in military hospitals - you won't be in the military though, so I guess it would depend on how far your political/military dislike goes in relation to how much you want to work.

You also might want to look at volunteering as an avenue in - most managers would rather work with a known quantity, so if your foot is already in the door when a position comes open...

Network, network, network! Join local/state nursing organizations, or go to local chapter meetings or CME offerings if they have them. Get your face out there to increase your chances that someone will think of you if they know of a pending opening at their facility. Right now nursing (in addition to many other careers) is a very who-you-know field.

That's all I can think of right now except to offer good mojo for your search!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Geriatric Psych, Med/Surg.

First of all, yes you can put your loans on deferment. However, have you considered the service (NO I AM NOT A RECRUITER)? I was going into the Air Force (decided not to because of my children) ~ they will take a BSN up to the age of 46 yrs. old, HUGE sign on bonus, more sign on bonuses every three or four years (as in thousands), you don't go to "boot camp" you go to officers training school because you enter as a Leiutenant (this is: how to wear dress uniforms, proper protocol, etc.) and more than likely you will end up at Langley AFB in Texas (largest one in the states) although they give you a choice of three different ones and then assign you to one. Retirement benefits are good, they provide your housing and uniforms, you have the base stores to shop at with great discounts on food, etc. and if you're relatively young now you can retire before age 50 and pick up a second career but you'll always have your pension. Downside? You will more than likely work about 50 hrs a week and you are salaried so no OT, you MIGHT end up in the sand but more than likely away from any action though because Langley is so big and needs nurses so much I'd say it's probably there that you would be....They will also put you through school for a Masters ~ say you decided to be an ARNP or CRNA. You leave and go through school, they pay plus you have extra in your pocket, and you owe the service two years of service for every year of school. I have three friends who did this and they all LOVE it. Good luck, no matter what you decide.

Also, you could try Skilled Nursing Facilities as they always need RN's or go and get a license to sit for the State Board and be a Nursing Home Administrator (usually start around $70,000 a year). Don't panic, you have more options than you think (sell pharmaceuticals would be another option, home health, private nursing, school nursing, etc.).

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Do you have any hospital experience? If not, it may be a good idea to apply for a tech position just to get your foot in the door. Once they know you and see how you work it will be much easier for you to get in. I know it can be frustrating since you are a nurse, but it may be a temporary option. Good Luck!

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
First of all, yes you can put your loans on deferment. However, have you considered the service (NO I AM NOT A RECRUITER)? I was going into the Air Force (decided not to because of my children) ~ they will take a BSN up to the age of 46 yrs. old, HUGE sign on bonus, more sign on bonuses every three or four years (as in thousands), you don't go to "boot camp" you go to officers training school because you enter as a Leiutenant (this is: how to wear dress uniforms, proper protocol, etc.) and more than likely you will end up at Langley AFB in Texas (largest one in the states) although they give you a choice of three different ones and then assign you to one. Retirement benefits are good, they provide your housing and uniforms, you have the base stores to shop at with great discounts on food, etc. and if you're relatively young now you can retire before age 50 and pick up a second career but you'll always have your pension. Downside? You will more than likely work about 50 hrs a week and you are salaried so no OT, you MIGHT end up in the sand but more than likely away from any action though because Langley is so big and needs nurses so much I'd say it's probably there that you would be....They will also put you through school for a Masters ~ say you decided to be an ARNP or CRNA. You leave and go through school, they pay plus you have extra in your pocket, and you owe the service two years of service for every year of school. I have three friends who did this and they all LOVE it. Good luck, no matter what you decide.

Also, you could try Skilled Nursing Facilities as they always need RN's or go and get a license to sit for the State Board and be a Nursing Home Administrator (usually start around $70,000 a year). Don't panic, you have more options than you think (sell pharmaceuticals would be another option, home health, private nursing, school nursing, etc.).

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Agree to above post with some modification. I believe officers pay for their own uniforms. Might be a typo: But Langley is located in Virginia, Lackland is located in Texas. Officers don't go into boot camp, but their is PT, i.e. running, marching, and stuff. If you make the military a career, a Master is a must. Temporary Duty Assignments and Deployments, Short Tour assignments - you'll have them for sure. It all leads to retirement at 20 years, that is well worth it. I was an enlisted, and now collect >54K year. Now I work as a RN to supplement my retirement pay.

Good Luck on whatever, wherever you choose. Aim High!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Geriatric Psych, Med/Surg.

You are correct, I did mean to say Lackland ~ However, I LOVE NCIS and watch way too much of it....can't get Langley off my mind :) !!! (Gotta love Jethro and the crew)

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Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..

Homehealth nursing is a growing field, because doctors are discharging their patients from hospitals earlier now. Many of their patients need advanced care such as picc line insertions and other out of hospital procedures that a BSN or RN can do, but the CNA or a caregiver cannot.

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Specializes in Medical/Oncology, Family Practice.

I just find it so hard to believe that there are so many shortages of jobs when we are dealing with such a shortage of NURSES! We hired 5 new grads this summer, and have 2-3 more starting this fall, and will still be short. And that is on our unit alone (with an average daily census of 40 patients). I know that hospital wide, we are still short, even with hiring many new nurses from this springs graduating classes from the 2 nursing schools in town- and we are the only hospital in town. Look again in Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, and try to get away from the larger cities. The small towns have more jobs, and you will get a lot of experience as you don't specialize as much. Med surg in smaller cities is busy, but gratifying. Keep looking, there are jobs, but you have to know where to look and don't be too picky about salary and trying to get the big bonuses. I can tell you that orientation programs are cutting sign on bonuses, but they ARE hiring.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Geriatric Psych, Med/Surg.

The jobs are out there, you just have to look. One of the biggest problems is the economy. Hospitals charge a lot of money for services, HOWEVER, even though they are making money they lose a lot of money on medicaid especially with so many patients on it now. Solution? Cut nursing of course ~ double the patient load and we'll be just fine (patients won't but the hospital will, they still charge the same amount....). Hire LPNs and have them do a lot of the work (especially if they don't know what their state does and does not allow them to do), have the med techs do more of what the LPNs did and you just need RN to supervise! Cost efficiency :) lol. It will just take a couple of MAJOR lawsuits and they MIGHT get the idea....until then, welcome to healthcare. Can't wait until Obamacare kicks in (kidding).

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Specializes in Psych.

There are jobs out there.

Unfortunately, there are not ENOUGH jobs out there for everyone who wants one.

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Definately call and get your student loans deferred. They are very understanding about that right now. I just called the other day. Because of the economy, they have more options available.

=)

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Come to TEXAS. HOUSTON to be exact. We always need nurses of any licensure...problem is if you don't like your job there is 15 other ones wanting you and kinda makes it a little bad when you know that you can quit and go to where the "GRASS IS GREENER" if ya know what I mean! I don't, but I know alot of nurses that do!

They aren't hiring new grads. Most hospitals have scaled back or completely cut their new grad programs. People about to graduate from my BSN program are freaking about about finding a job--any job, not just a med center hospital job.

I wouldn't suggest ANY city in Texas. There are just far too many schools you'll be competing with. San Antonio has fewer schools so that MIGHT be an option.

Check out South Texas (along the border), especially since you're bilingual. Texas doesn't have the Arizona law, and if you're in southern Texas, it's mostly Hispanics anyway. Or, check out small towns anywhere in the country.

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