I am starting to feel like I will never get a nursing job. Graduated May 2012 with my BSN and obtained RN in August. I did not seek employment right away due to many personal factors - I had just recently had a baby, had to finish nursing school,then my Air Force husband got orders to deploy to the Middle East. I was studying for the boards, meanwhile we had to move out of our apartment and our things into storage, then my husband deployed. I was left with our daughter and we stayed at my parents' house for the duration of the deployment. I realize that it is MY fault that I chose not to seek a job during this time, nor did I volunteer. My parents both work and aren't able to watch my daughter. I've been searching since December and have had several interviews - for pretty much all of the Tampa Bay area hospitals - and even 2nd interviews for some facilities. I have been turned down by all of them so far (6+) and the rejection emails keep coming for the RN positions I've applied for online. Seems like NO ONE will hire unless you have some experience or you apply to a New Grad/Clinical Nurse Resident program. Or unless you know someone and manage to get your foot in the door.
I should also mention that I have a disability in which I'm not able to speak on the telephone. I'm hearing impaired. I use a relay service to use the phone. Otherwise I communicate normally in person and without any sort of interpreters. I am very lucky. I know that working as an RN somewhere would require thinking out of the box in terms of accommodations for me, as well as support from the employer and staff. It sucks that they seem "afraid" of someone with a disability working as a nurse, and are "afraid" to try something different and think out of the box for once. They are looking after their own butts and are not willing to help out a new nurse. I have been nothing but successful in my life. I graduated nursing school with cum laude honors. Guess that doesn't matter. I worked as a nurse tech for about a year until I had my daughter - which I thought was a golden nugget on my resume. Also, at this point, I'm starting to wonder if the problem lies with my references as well. I've been told to keep re-applying, but what is that going to do? They already interviewed me and didn't want me, so why would they want me later on? And I've come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as the "nursing shortage"!! What a joke. Nursing schools are pumping out new nurses and there is no one willing to TRAIN them unless they have experience. I'm AT A LOSS as to what to do right now.
