Looking for a casual LPN position in Edmonton AB.

[Dkim]

Hello fellow nurses,

My name is Adam and I have moved to Edmonton on March 1st, 2014 from Vancouver in the hope that I could find a job after a long frustration in finding a job in Vancouver. In fact, I haven't been able to work as a LPN after graduation in 2013. I made every effort to get hired when I was in Vancouver but noting really worked out for a 7-8 month period and then I decided to do something about it rather than whining about my situation. So I applied for Care aid jobs with several health authorities(VCH, VIHA, Fraser Health, Providence etc), but had no luck. Well, as some of you might know that it's a norm for new grad LPNs in Vancoouver to start working as a care aide and work their way up and hopefully get a casual position in the future. Getting a casual position in hospital is nearly impossible unless you had a preceptorship there or know somebody work there. None of this applied to my case so I didn't have choice but kept applying for online postings and I was getting fed up with no response from HR. Of course, I had contacted nearly every LTC in Lower mainland, but was told to submit the resume and they were not hiring. SO many new grads are being pumped out of school in BC and there are no jobs for us and even seasoned nurses are even getting laid off due to "CDMR" and PCA are replacing their position. I considered moving to other part of BC but the situation is not that different then what's happening in Lower mainland BC. So I made a major decision after a careful consideration, which was aided by another fellow LPN I've known through online BC LPN community. I thought I would be much better off moving to Alberta then staying in BC and I moved here in Edmonton. I've got my Alberta license a few weeks ago and have been applying for jobs ever since. In fact, I started applying positions with AHS in February before I move but haven't heard anything from HR but kept receiving the automated rejection letter. If I am not mistaken, I've applied about more than 50 positions so far and also applied several positions with Covenant health as well. After I learned that the hiring process with AHS and Covenant health is extremely slow, I started contacting LTC here around Edmonton and submitted a few applications for them and targeted on non-profit Org, such as The Good Samaritan, BMHC, and Salvation army etc. After all this, I realized that there may be some issues with my resume, so I decided to redo my resume and cover letter by hands of a professional whose company is located in Alberta, hoping that this would worth spending my money for. To be honest, I was quite happy with the their work, but I had to work on bunch of questions in worksheet to aid the rewriting process. Anyways, I applied for few positions with new resume since last week and am waiting to see what happens. I think I've done nearly everything I can do in my situation, but still I'd love to have your insights into my struggle of finding a job. I know I am not a patient person and am not sure if I am being too hasty. I am sure there are new grad nurses out there like me having been forced to make a difficult choice and start all over again in new place. Again, I don't know the reason I am not getting any response if it's because I am from other province and have no previous nursing experience. I've even enrolled a course with NAIT, "Combined IV and Phlebotomy", starting next week in an attempt to fill the lacking BC's scope of practice. And believe me it's EXPENSIVE!!!. I was asking myself if I am being too paranoid or impatient but I wanted to try everything before anything happens next. I feel like the time's running out and so is my budget(LOL). I really want to stay in the city rather than having to move to rural area because I don't have a vehicle. I 'd really appreciate your insight and thank you for reading my long story. (P.S. I am a male nurse!)

Thanks,

Adam

[Fiona59]

OK, not going to sugar coat it but you are competing against local new grads who did their training in local facilities.

I'd cancel the course and take a refund. AHS does in-house IV initiation courses for all new hires. It doesn't matter if you started a million elsewhere, you still have to have witnessed starts by the site CNE. If I change hospitals, I have to recertify at my new site. Phlebotomy? Acute care has on-site labs to do the draws. LTC? The lab comes in and does them. Again if it's a skill that AHS requires they will provide the education.

When AHS posts a position be it casual or an FTE there are at least 50 applicants for it. The last part time line my unit posted had over 60 in-house applicants.

If you really haven't worked in a paid position you are at a severe disadvantage.

[Dkim]

Hi Fiona59,

I thank you for taking your time to leave a comment on my posting. I understand what you are trying to say but it's not even possible to submit application for most of acute care setting if I don't have specific qualifications(i.e.IV certificate) since they want to hire someone who has the prerequisite to begin with whether or not they are actually able to perform it. So it seems as though if I don't have every single requirement they ask for prior to screening process, my application will not be even considered therefore, I don't get to have an opportunity to be assessed by the "CNE". To make to matter worse, I have to compete with the local graduate. If don't get my foot in the door, I won't have access to the "In house course". I think it would be wise to keep my options wide open and take any opportunity as long as it gives me experience to move up. Perhaps, it's time to gather all my energy to find a job in a community or LTC if getting into acute care is not feasible in my current situation. Anyhow, Thank you for your insight.

Adam

[Fiona59]

I don't understand how you don't have IV skills. When I moved to BC and worked there it was a requirement.

[itsmejuli]

You're not the only one having a hard time finding a job.

Please read through the Canadian forum.

[Dkim]

We weren't taught how to initiate IV in school. All we learned was to prime IV tubings, changing IV bags, and monitoring complications. We might have an in house training after get hired or have to enroll IV course with the local college. I believe that starting IV is varied on work setting and the policy of facility. I wish we were taught IV skills in school. As you know, BC LPNs have limited scope of practice compare to LPNs in Alberta. Now the new curriculum is in place, students under new system might have IV skills in their curriculum.

[Fiona59]

Your pharmacology course included IV drug preparation and administration?

[Dkim]

Hi itsmejuli,

Yes. I have heard that there are increasing numbers of nurses moving into Alberta to look for a job.

To be honest, I don't really know what's the demand of nurses in healthcare and how long I need to wait for hearing from them. I've already read a few postings under this subject and it sort of scared me. My heart goes out to all the new grad nurses who are struggling in looking for an employment. Oh well, it is what it is and I have to deal with this reality.

[Dkim]

Hi Fiona59,

I think I learned to reconstitute IV medication and hang the piggy bag in the lab but no IV push. Unfortunately, Our instructors didn't really focus on IV medication administration, assuming most of us would find an employment in long term care facility or home care industry where IV skills were not critical part of nursing care. Most of skills were focused on patient hygiene, oral+IM,SC medicattion administration and charting. In fact, most of our classmates were expecting to find a job in LTC by the graduation.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Try submitting your resume to the small towns. Cities are not new grad friendly, and more local new grads are probably looking for work right now, which puts you at a greater disadvantage. The job situation is no better in Edmonton or Calgary.