I'm an RN who would work for Free

MatthewMorgan · Aug 3, 2010

I've since expanded my search to all over the state, atleast up to Dallas and over to San Antonio. I'll try out those locations you mentioned. As for Conroe I'm not seeing anything on there website.

RNQueen · Aug 9, 2010

I will say this for what it's worth. If you're an RN it means you spent at least two years in a nursing school, had at least four 6-week clinicals in a variety of settings, met some charge nurses, nurse managers, directors of nursing. It means you have friends who are nurses, alumni of your school who are nurses, instructors who are nurses. It means you are an individual who advocates for nursing and promote the profession. If your attitude is not the worst around, and you applied yourself (not just tagging along) while in nursing school, you will get a job within two months of graduation! It may not be your dream job, but it will be a nice launchpad.

In a class of about 75, the only person I know without an offer as at now is the only person who everyone is afraid of. S/he really isn't bad but definitely not a team player, and has a tough, mean look all the time, and very difficult to work with. When I ran into 'em the other day and heard their story I was moved to give some contacts but I think about how those people will feel when they see this demeanor...I just wished 'em luck and left. Do you know how many in my class feel the same way?

Attitude, laziness and a feeling that you can do some hours for free (even tho' this is the profession with most shortage in the US) are just a few reasons why some don't have a job.

Don't forget, nursing is a profession, like law, medicine, pharmacy, not a just degree like economics, chemistry etc.

MatthewMorgan · Aug 9, 2010

This forum is to help encourage, and bring up your peers and support them. It is not a place to degrade, or compare to/make assumptions about someone you dont even know. It is narrow minded of you to think that because someone is a recent graduate and cannot find work within 2 months of hire you are implying that they lack a positive attitude, lazy and are not the ideal "nursing professional". There are many GN's out there, from BSN's to ADN's that are ideal competitive candidates that do not have jobs nationwide. Your assumptions maybe "right on" for some indviduals, but it is unfair to generalize the whole that are unable to find a job.

Have you seen the job market? It is extremely competitive, employers can hire the best of the best. So If there are 10 BSN RN's with 4.0 GPAs and have worked within their facility they are going to take those applicants over someone like me. Majority of the medical center is going towards Magnet status meaning that they prefer to hire BSN's. That in itself is already making it harder on ADN's to even be considered for jobs. Another reason why it is so hard for GN's to get jobs is because of the state the economy is in. The older nurses are not retiring, which does not free up many spots. In the past few years, the new graduates were relatively young and were hired with less difficulty than it is now. Now when you look at the overall experience of a unit, it is common to see that there is a small number of experienced RN's >20 years, with a majority are RN's 2-4 years experience. It makes sense for employers to limit GN's coming into their unit, because they are trying to raise the bar on the level of experience nurses in their unit, which in turn makes the job search for a GN tougher.

Yes, nursing is a profession, that's the only part that I agree with you from your post. As a nursing colleague we are to support members within our profession, young and experienced. If you are a seasoned, experienced RN its another different ball game out there (one you cannot compare to unexperienced GN's getting a job today). An experience RN can easily get a job out there, with sign on bonuses. No problem.

Have a nice day and I hope that you can take this post into consideration.

Angelflight · Aug 9, 2010

From your previous posts to other forums, it appears you have failed to mention that maybe it was easier for your to obtain a job at the place you work at now because you were an LVN or had hospital experience? It is expected that you would have the upper hand on "networking" if you already work with potential co-workers on a weekly basis.

Clinical assignments are set up differently for each nursing school, just because you have a 6 week assignment to a facility in a specific concentration for example such as pediatrics, doesn't mean that you are guaranteed working with the same individuals or meeting "essentail" contact persons to develop a professional relationship to use for networking. Your contact time in the ICU might only be 1 day, ER 1 day, each acute care floor specialty x 1 day.

Also, I do not agree with your statement:

"if you have applied yourself (not just tagging along) while in nursing school, you will get a job within two months of graduation! It may not be your dream job, but it will be a nice launchpad".

Making this statement, leaves no other reason why you don't have a job, except that your lazy and you rode on the coat tails of others in nursing school.

Were you trying to be mean? or you are completely oblivious that there might be other reasons out there?

Look at my personal perspective: I have a sis that is going through a hard time finding a RN job now. She is one of the most hardest working people I know. Someone who gets up everyday, is an avid runner (runs 3 miles in the morning/night), takes care of two kids, went to school fulltime without a fuss, a dutiful wife/mom, holds three degrees in hand, and left her past career to pursue a new profession because of several personal choice reasons and for what it stands for. I do not consider her to be a lazy, nor do I think she lacks attitude as to why she does not have a job now.

Its not solely about who you know that can help land you a job, it's who else are you are in competition with at the time.

Angelflight · Aug 10, 2010

oh and sorry MatthewMorgan, i just noticed that my post seemed to direct you. I was actually referring to "RN Queen".

Ms.RN · Aug 11, 2010

I called memorial herman hospital and asked about this free internship today.

rn4life2009 · Aug 12, 2010

It is the economy. I graduated in 2008 and jobs were easier to come by. I was layed off in Dec 2009 and I am still unemployed. It is good just to get a job in any part of nursing to get experience and be willing to work any shift. Sites I have used are craigslist, greensheet, hot jobs,careerbuilder, monster.

rn4life2009 · Aug 12, 2010

Harris County health department will let you volunteer.

breeziRN · Aug 13, 2010

Well I am an experienced RN with almost 10 yrs behind me in oncology,telemetry, critical care and trauma and I have been looking for since April...I find it unbelievable that I am still looking for a job..never in my whole nursing career have I not gotten a job in a week. I am in the Dallas area and while I will only accept FT employment at a Level 1 Trauma facility I have been applying to all the other hopsitals for PRN work but nothing yet. I went to Capstone(agency) earlier this week and finished up with their hiring process so I can get started with them until I land something...I am totally dismayed by the lack of return phone calls...I am getting passed up for GN's...mayb because they can hire them at a cheaper rate...I dont know!!! :yawn:

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Aug 13, 2010

I am totally dismayed by the lack of return phone calls...I am getting passed up for GN's...mayb because they can hire them at a cheaper rate...I dont know!!!

No, it's the slumping economy. Contrary to popular belief, new grads and GNs and very expensive to train and orient, and hospitals do not want to incur the expense. They'd rather have an experienced nurse who can hit the ground running without training. Many GNs leave their first hospital position within a couple of years, and facilities do not want to spend the money on a new grad who is not in it for the long haul.

I'm a GN who has applied to multiple hospitals in the DFW area without any offers. Nursing homes are the only places that will hire me. All of the major hospital systems around here seem to want 1 to 5 years of experience. If you've got more than 5 years of experiences on your online applications, they might be able to figure out that you've been in nursing a while and that you might demand more money than someone with the narrower range of 1 to 5 years.

They want 1 to 5 years of experience. Not 20 years of experience. Not zero years of experience. Certain factors are at play, including ageism.

Trubie, LPN · Sep 4, 2010

I've heard that Conroe Regional Medical Center is always in need of staff. However, this might be too far for you to reasonably travel. Did you apply at smaller hospitals such as Kindred or Healthsouth?

Conroe isnt taking new grads except for their twice yearly residency program. Their nurse recruiter promised me a spot for their summer 2010 residency, only to respond later that they filled all the positions internally.

N2NRSING · Sep 5, 2010

goodness this worries me :)