I thought it would be easier to get a job.

suanna · Apr 20, 2008

"....I am trying to avoid med/surg at all costs"

I think I see your problem.

elkpark · Apr 20, 2008

Many of us consider the nursing "shortage" to be a myth (there's plenty of discussion about that elsewhere on this site). It seems to be, at worst, a maldistribution of nurses -- there are areas of the US with significant shortages, but lots of areas are saturated and nurses (esp. new grads) can't find jobs. We're seeing more and more threads here lately about new grads in urban areas who can't find jobs; I think part of the problem is that hospitals are becoming more reluctant to hire new grads (also plenty of discussion elsewhere on the board about that).

Only you can decide what the best choice is for you, but it does seem obvious that, if you're not having any luck and you're running out of money, you may need to widen the range of what type of job you're willing to accept -- or consider relocating to an area where you can get the job you most want ...

Good luck with your search :) --

llg, PhD, RN · Apr 20, 2008

Many of us consider the nursing "shortage" to be a myth (there's plenty of discussion about that elsewhere on this site). It seems to be, at worst, a maldistribution of nurses -- there are areas of the US with significant shortages, but lots of areas are saturated and nurses (esp. new grads) can't find jobs. We're seeing more and more threads here lately about new grads in urban areas who can't find jobs; I think part of the problem is that hospitals are becoming more reluctant to hire new grads (also plenty of discussion elsewhere on the board about that).
Only you can decide what the best choice is for you, but it does seem obvious that, if you're not having any luck and you're running out of money, you may need to widen the range of what type of job you're willing to accept -- or consider relocating to an area where you can get the job you most want ...
Good luck with your search :) --

Well said. :yeah:

NFB2008 · Apr 20, 2008

I thought it would be much easier too. I have not yet found a job, and I don't really like Med-Surg either. Good luck! I hope everything works out--I understand the stress and anxiety you are feeling.

Nurse McDreamy · Apr 21, 2008

I would suggest emailing/ calling the recruiters and let them know that you are really interested in the job and would like to come in for an interview.

I had turned in all my apps and didnt hear from any hospitals until I started calling around and making myself known. Maybe that will help for you too.

Also remember, just because you start in a certain area doesnt mean you always have to stay there....you can always transfer within the hospital

Hope that helps!

Dolce, RN · Apr 21, 2008

I am a nurse who had a really hard time getting job as a new grad. My area was saturated with new grads and the hospitals were very limited in who they hired. I did not want to do med/surg. So, I moved away--gaining experience in other specialties. Now as an agency nurse I find myself being frequently staffed on med/surg units. Much to my surprise I find that I love med/surg.

I just wanted to pass that information along because there is often a lot of disdain for med/surg nursing among new grads. It is true that some really do hate it, but I think you shouldn't avoid something "at all costs" unless you've tried it out for yourself. If med/surg is the only position available in your area and you are not wanting to move I would give it a shot. I find med/surg to be exciting, varied, challenging, and rewarding. I think every shift I learn something new. Every nurse that I have known with med/surg experience doesn't regret for a minute the knowledge they gained.

MistiroseRN · Apr 21, 2008

I am a nurse who had a really hard time getting job as a new grad. My area was saturated with new grads and the hospitals were very limited in who they hired. I did not want to do med/surg. So, I moved away--gaining experience in other specialties. Now as an agency nurse I find myself being frequently staffed on med/surg units. Much to my surprise I find that I love med/surg.
I just wanted to pass that information along because there is often a lot of disdain for med/surg nursing among new grads. It is true that some really do hate it, but I think you shouldn't avoid something "at all costs" unless you've tried it out for yourself. If med/surg is the only position available in your area and you are not wanting to move I would give it a shot. I find med/surg to be exciting, varied, challenging, and rewarding. I think every shift I learn something new. Every nurse that I have known with med/surg experience doesn't regret for a minute the knowledge they gained.

I am in the minority at my school because I want to do med/surg. I am in total agreemant that there is alot of knowledge to be gained by working med/surg and often wonder why my fellow students would choose not to start there? I understand it is not an easy job but I don't think any nursing job is easy. I feel med/surg gives a good foundation to go on to specialties. That's just my oppinion.

NFB2008 · Apr 21, 2008

Don't give up yet. I just got a call today with a job offer in the NICU! Just keep applying and interviewing in places that interest you.

TangoLima · Apr 22, 2008

Thanks everyone for your feedback and experiences. I may have to take a med/surg position if nothing else works out.

It's not that I hated med/surg. I did learn a lot about a variety of disease processes. It just scares me hearing horror stories of having 8,9,10 patients, plus in my observation med/surg nurses seemed to have a lower morale and be more back-stabbing.

If I have to start out there, I will make the best of it and take away a lot of knowledge and good work habits. It's just that I had a "plan/vision" of how my career would go, and med/surg was not part of the equation. :uhoh3:

Thanks again.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Apr 22, 2008

If I have to start out there, I will make the best of it and take away a lot of knowledge and good work habits. It's just that I had a "plan/vision" of how my career would go, and med/surg was not part of the equation.

Tango, I understand where you are coming from. In this area, there are a number of "specialty-type" positions available, but there are also a huge amount of graduates.

Unlike the poster above, I did not get the NICU job I was hoping for. It took me a few days to talk myself in to convincing myself that med/surg would be a good alternative. That was truly my only real goal through nursing school other than the ER. After doing an internship and working as a tech in an ER, I realized that I could rule that out so only applied for NICU positions.

I don't love the idea of now doing med/surg, but understand that in the long run with a year or so of that under my belt, I will be a much more attractive job candidate and will have a good foundation to go forward with my nursing career. I truly don't believe the time will be wasted and do believe that sometimes there's a hand in the direction our lives take that sometimes leads us to places we need to be over the places we want to be.

Dolce, RN · Apr 22, 2008

Thanks everyone for your feedback and experiences. I may have to take a med/surg position if nothing else works out.
It's not that I hated med/surg. I did learn a lot about a variety of disease processes. It just scares me hearing horror stories of having 8,9,10 patients, plus in my observation med/surg nurses seemed to have a lower morale and be more back-stabbing.
If I have to start out there, I will make the best of it and take away a lot of knowledge and good work habits. It's just that I had a "plan/vision" of how my career would go, and med/surg was not part of the equation.
Thanks again.

These are definitely issues you would want to bring up in an interview. Some hospitals have unions that specify how many patients nurses will take. (One of the hospitals I staff for does not allow a greater than 6:1 staffing ratio. It is in their union contract). Unit culture is something that you can bring up in your interview but don't expect perfect honesty. You can ask how long some of the nurses have been on the unit--that will give you a clue to how much those nurses like their job.

As a side note...if the area you are living in is not a nursing shortage location I would treat every job offer with a certain amount of suspicion. Because I live in the Northwest I received many calls, even as a new grad, for specialty positions in Seattle. At the time I graduated Seattle was a huge nursing shortage area. I got a job offer over the phone before I had even formally interviewed for a specialty unit. This gave me a big clue that they were desperate for a warm body. When I turned down the offer they were rude about it. Another clue.

Please be careful about what you are looking for. Specialty units can be hotbeds of backstabbing just like any other unit.

Best of luck in your job search!