IN LIMBO!!! officialy RN, still Unemployed. Am I alone?

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Hello everybody,

I know a lot of people started the job hunt before they even graduated. But after I graduated, I honestly didn't even know if I was going to stick around NY or move out to CA. I decided to venture off to CA by the way, but I kinda sorta didn't start the job hunt until... well, until I passed the NCLEX-RN (Sep. 05). You're welcome to ask me why I took it so late, but it's a long story.

Anyway, call my naive, but I always thought once I got my license I'd walk into a hospital and get hired on the spot! But while the talk of a nursing shortage was a popular one, everybody failed to mention orientation programs are only offered at certain times of the year.

I may be an RN, but I'm still a new grad. And I'm walking into hospitals and they're saying "oh, well the new grad program was in July, and the next one is in February"

Please somebody tell me I don't have to wait until February to get hired!

Please somebody tell me even though I graduated 4 months and 4 days ago, and I've been an unemployed RN for 14 days, I'm going to be ok!

I've just been feeling so discourage. Am I alone?

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don't get discouraged! :wink2:

keep contacting hospitals, to see if they have rolling orientation programs.

or do you have your eyes on a specific hospital, with a specific orientation program?

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Specializes in Med-Surg /Cardiac Step-Down/CICU/CTICU.

hey

i find that pretty weird. maybe you should try a teaching hospital in the area? would you consider not working in a hospital until feb, and possibly taking a job in a nursing home or doctors office or clinic until feb if none of the hospitals in the area have a open monthly orientation for new grads? Or you could always come back to NY LOL I wish you the best of luck!

Shanna

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I understand how you're feeling at the moment. I have been searching for jobs since BEFORE graduation...finally had 1 interview, have heard nothing and I have inquired what's going on several times. Now I have passed boards and I am still having problems finding a job. So no you aren't alone. All I can offer is to keep trying, bug the HR department if you must and good luck!

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

If push comes to shove, then get your foot in the door in a LTC facility or private office etc.

When Feb. rolls around have a secured start date for orientation at the hospital. Good luck. :)

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Wow, can't imagine only taking new grads at a certain time. Our little rural hospital is hurting for nurses and we have two new grads right night that we are precepting.

Sorry about your trouble.

steph

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Are you trying at the large University hospitals? They are probably the ones to thave the organized new grad orientations and such. Especially if you wanted an area like ICU/ER/OB.

Since you did not do NCLEX until September, you would not have been eligible for most of the new grad programs anyway...(in July)

I'd call some of the smaller, community oriented hospitals, and I would look simply for Med Surg. See what they can offer you, explain to them that you moved and wanted to have NCLEX done with before you started to search. Usually if you can make the recruiter your friend you can find yourself in a very good position. (The recruiter can influence people in strange and unusual ways). People graduate school at all times during the year and start to look for jobs, so I imagine that after a bit of calling around you can find someone who is interested in hiring you. It might not be your first choice, but it probably will be a hospital job.

Keep trying and looking, something will open up!

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I GOT A JOB!!! Surgical, day shift. I have to admit, it wasn't my first choice, but once I met the nurse manager, saw the floor, and met the staff, I was really glad to be offered the opportunity to work with them. I start Oct. 3rd, which is much later than I had expected to start, but much much better than waiting for November.

PheW!! I have to admit, I was really panicking there for a moment.

I just wanted to thank everybody for their advice and support, you all have been a great help.

And just a bit more info on how the interview went:

I don't even know what I said, but the nurse manager and nurse recruiter loved me. All I remember was them saying "there's an orientation program is Oct. 3rd, but I'm not sure if all the paperwork can be done before then, if not, the next program is Nov. 7th. " (agh, November!)

My Response "look, with all due respect, I'm a New Yorker, and I don't know why paperwork takes so long in California, but when there's a will, there's a way. If there's anything I can do to speed up this process let me know"

They loved it; thought it showed initiative and spunk. So to help speed up the process, we contacted my clinical instructor via phone, got the reference done in 5 mins instead of that "couple weeks" nonsense these Californians keep talking about.

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Great news...........what city will you be in?

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Great news...........what city will you be in?

Thanks suzanne4. I will be at Marin General Hospital (Sutter Health); Marin county, Greenbrae, California. It's a great place. And California has that 5:1 nurse:patient ratio law here so I feel confident that I will be able to better focus on my patients vs NYC where you can have up to 16 patients!

Ah... ever been to CA? It's a great sunny, warm, lacks snow place. When winter rolls around, I don't have to wake up at 4am just to clean the snow off my car and drive at 15mph... now all I have to do is convince my mom and sister to join me

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Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

Congratulations on your first RN position!!

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