I met up with the Nurse Recruiter at a facility north of a major city. I am reminded how much the job hunt sucks and why I refer to Human Resources as Inhuman Resources. Many of my classmates are struggling to find jobs. We are all ASN nurses and the reasons vary from timing of the next orientation (please come back later), or not accepting new grads (we are full), or you need a BSN (you need a BSN or a year of experience before applying here). Many of us are discouraged but we keep trying, and as you read you will see I try to have a sense of humor about it all. I don't know if it is my city but the hospitals we have encountered are for the most part indifferent to us, and in some cases downright rude and dismissive. Outside the state many of us are receiving interest and the red carpets and one of my classmates took a position outside the state (an option for the single and unattached). I understand folks are busy and have job stress but the rudeness is uncalled for.
My handler was this ruddy faced guy who had to clear piles of paperwork from a chair so I could take a seat. The rest of the office look like it belonged to a government clerk with unprocessed stacks of triplicate forms, although he had two nice amateur photographer Italian scenes on the wall that hinted some sense of civilization and culture, or a momentary enthusiasm of a hobby long dead. I am not sure why he wanted to see me because when I had applied for a med-surg position I was told by him and his colleague at an affiliated location that all their new grad positions were full and possibly not opening up again until October. He invites me anyway and I look at this as an opportunity for interviewing with a chance I could be placed on a future incoming list.
I should preface this by saying I am a career changer and have dealt with HR before. My approach with HR types is to smile, keep my answers short and concise, and simply let them run their charm since they usually have a scripted line or two of how wonderful their place is to work for and how you are so fortunate to be selected because of your numerous skills and talents. I always research the facility's mission statement and history and try to ask important questions. A good "fit" is important to me.
I park it in the chair and the phone rings.
He answers. He is fifteen minutes on the phone with intervals of his mouthing "Sorry" several times to me like he is a goldfish deprived of air. He then explains to me that their orientation is 8-12 weeks, run during the days, and it is a union hospital so I would have to join the union. No problem for me. He informs me that he has no openings at the moment except some odd night positions, and the facility runs orientation every other week. He is glad that I am interested in full-time because the facility has a strict policy that new grads work days and 40hrs weekly because that makes them a good nurse. He also says new grads are not allowed to work twelves. I uttered one sentence that I am indeed interested in full time. He says he is happy because he is exasperated by new grads that only want to work 24hrs weekly.
Phone rings again. Another few minutes but not as long. I am thinking of the slain gladiators that probably were on the floor of the Coliseum looking out to the Palatine Hill in his wall photograph. Ave cæsar! Morituri te saltamus! (Hail Caesar! Those of us about to die, salute you).
He returns to his captive.
I ask about ratios and retention. He responds that ratio is all dependent on acuity. Fair enough. As for retention, he adds that nurses are so happy that they stay forever and a day (his words).
Phone rings. It is clear from the conversation that a nurse had given notice and the nurse manager is hyperventilating on the phone for a replacement. Lets put this way if I can hear it from three feet away she was hyperventilating.
I am smiling and looking pleasant. He asks me if I am interested in an oncology floor position on Floor X. Uh, (thinking to myself) this must be the nurse leaving. I mentioned I had some modest oncology experience (200hrs as a Student Nurse). I asked about the ratio and how many OCNs are on the floor. He tells me it is a heavy floor with 6-7 patients sometimes 7-9 per nurse and that I would still have orientation on days and they can work (just for special me) an orientation at nights with an experienced nurse. I continue smiling. He adds that the floor sometimes has psych and med-surg overflow. I nod in understanding. The position is nights: two twelves and two eights.
Phone rings again. 3 minutes.
Starting rate is mid twenty per hour and change that goes up a dollar at the end of next month per union contract and then there is the shift differential for nights (11-7) and every other holiday/weekend requirement adding another small increase.
Phone rings again. 5 minutes.
He said he will talk to the nurse manager about an interview with her and let me know some time next week. Whatever.
I was polite and civil but certainly didn't feel the love. There were too many contradictions between the "corporate line" and the reality l can infer between the lines. My gut instinct tells me orientation would be a mixed bag from days to getting used to a regular night shift.
"He is fifteen minutes on the phone with intervals of his mouthing "Sorry" several times to me like he is a goldfish deprived of air."....quoted by grv68...........................:rotfl:
I personally believe HR people are responsible for much of the nursing shortage. Always takes me weeks and weeks to get through HR. So I went the travel route: I had recruiters calling me left and right for jobs, start immediately. Have you tried calling the nurse managers directly of the floors you might want to work? It can speed things up to bypass HR.
$20 bucks plus per hour for a new grad????!!!! Unbelievable. Where do you live?
Hie thee to SFBA or northern California. New grads start around $40 + /hr, plus bennies, plus the best nursing union in the country, PLUS mandated staffing ratios!!! The cost of living is NOT worse than any other place I've lived, as long as you don't buy a house. The quality of life: food, weather, geography, culture, people, is remarkable.
:rotfl: I'm not laughing at YOU... just the story. Wonderful writing!
I think I'd have to seriously consider NOT accepting a job at a facility that treated me so poorly during an interview. What other options do you have?
I have to admit... when I see posts this long, I usually just back out and move on . But I read your post in its entirety!!! I'm sorry you had such a crappy experience. I think you know what to do.
Im not sure as compared to the rest of the country. It was comparable to where I came from which was Maine. In addition I like the weather. So with all of this Im hearing about California, how good it is......why such a shortage if its so great? Just curious? Maybe Ill look into a travel assignment and see how good it is. :) If it is that good, Im so glad to hear it.
Wow- from your description I could picture the scene as if I was in the room!
Kind of ironic, isn't it? With all the emphasis hospitals are putting on improving their public image you'd think they MIGHT wanna put their best foot forward in the HR department which is after all the first contact for essentially all potential employees. (What I call making a "Duh" connection). But apparently not; even though I am periodically bombarded with enough Recruitment/ Open House postcards to paper my bathroom, when I have sent a resume it is rarely acknowledged or followed up. Also when attempting to call HR at more than one hospital I have found it impossible to reach a person initially so have been forced to leave messages which are rarely if ever returned. I don't know how HR works but as an outsider I would have thought that gathering applications from qualified applicants for posted openings would be first priority...I am an experienced RN with good credentials but I only got hired in my current position after somehow latching on to a phone number for one of the persons responsible for actually doing the hiring for RN's and calling her many, many times. Then starting with orientation and continuing through Ed Update sessions, staff meetings, e-mail, notices, etc we are inundated with cutsie messages exhorting us to project a good public image thru patient interactions, on the phone,in documentation, etc, etc.
Do these people who write this stuff ever turn around and say "Gee, I could apply these ideas here in my own area" or make sure it carries over to the image potential new staff are receiving?
I cannot write as nicely as the OP but it does remind me of my interview from hell.
First interview as new grad, EXCITED because I really wanted to work on that floor, got all dressed up in my interview clothes, prepared answers to some questions in my head, lost sleep the night before, etc. Show up and the nurse manager is nowhere to be found, I am sitting down in the HR office for at least 20 minutes. When she finally decides to show up, go to her office and she says, "sorry nobody called you to tell you not to come. I actually filled my last position yesterday". Then she says, " we can do a mock interview if you'd like". I did it, sent her a thank you note, the whole deal even though I wanted to tell her I thought it was super inconsiderate.
So with all of this Im hearing about California, how good it is......why such a shortage if its so great? Just curious? Maybe Ill look into a travel assignment and see how good it is. :) If it is that good, Im so glad to hear it.
Who says that California has a nursing shortage because ... in a lot of ways, the California nursing shortage doesn't exist, IMO.
There are hospitals that pay crap wages and aren't great places to work so, naturally, they're short. But if the pay and benefits are good then, you can have more trouble getting hired at those places.
There's actually signs of a nursing surplus in the Bay Area, for example, where the pay is highest. In the California forum, people are posting about having trouble finding jobs there.
The California Department of Corrections also has a waiting list of 3,500 RN's because the pay and benefits is great ... no nursing shortage there either. They're actually turning RN's away.
So the nursing shortage in California is relative ... there's no shortage for the good paying jobs.
Great story. I am in the same boat, looking for a new grad position now at an odd time. I am seeing the contrast here though, some places are TERRIFIC, super professional, called me the day I sent them a resume, others don't even call me back after I talk to HR assistant for a while and then leave a voicemail.
Like you, I'm thinking, surely they realize that we are observing and taking notes and we won't forget this. We will judge their facility by their behavior and pass the word.
I cannot write as nicely as the OP but it does remind me of my interview from hell.
First interview as new grad, EXCITED because I really wanted to work on that floor, got all dressed up in my interview clothes, prepared answers to some questions in my head, lost sleep the night before, etc. Show up and the nurse manager is nowhere to be found, I am sitting down in the HR office for at least 20 minutes. When she finally decides to show up, go to her office and she says, "sorry nobody called you to tell you not to come. I actually filled my last position yesterday". Then she says, " we can do a mock interview if you'd like". I did it, sent her a thank you note, the whole deal even though I wanted to tell her I thought it was super inconsiderate.
my Dear,it was a pity you got interviewed by that unprofessional nurse recruiter.I did get mine when i was looking for job.She treated me as though i ate her piece of cake.She told me that their hospital is a very big hospital that i should go to a small hospital and have a year exp.and come back afterwards.she didnt even want me to talk and i wanted to,she hung the phone on me.it was a horrible exp.but i thank God who brought out another good place for me.so,Goodluck in your next hunt.
. But I read your post in its entirety!!! I'm sorry you had such a crappy experience. I think you know what to do.
Soup Turtle
411 Posts
:lol2:Same here!