LPN needing advice on work

[sunbeach73]

Hi, I'm sort of new to allnurses. I've been lurking in the background for months now. A little history on me...I graduated 2/2006, passed boards 5/2006. I had to wait until this month (August) to begin looking for a nursing job because I had my children who live in Texas visiting me here in Florida. I only see them once or twice a year and figured it would be best to wait until after their visit this summer to begin my search for a nursing job. Simply because with kids who like to argue and occasionally fight it would be best to wait to transition into a new career. Anyway, I've begun my search. With the nursing shortage I figured it would be easier than what it is to find a job. No one wants to hire me because I don't have any nursing experience. I've been working my current job doing data entry for over 6 yrs now. I thought that at the very least this would show that I don't hop from job to job and that I have some stable job history. My only experience is from nursing school. I want to start out with a skilled nursing facility, I would love to get into home health. Anyone have any ideas of what I may be doing wrong or what I could be doing to get a job? I feel like I'm at a dead end road here. How can I get experience if no one will give me the chance? I'm scared I'm going to forget everything I learned in school if I don't use the information I learned. Help!

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

I really hope it all works out for you. Even a position in the float pool can be too much for a new grad. It's best for the mental health if one can work in one place for a while, fine-tune organization and assessment, develop a sense for how much charting is enough and just get the time management thing sorted out. You will find the right place for you. It might not be the first place you try, or even the fifth, but it will happen. Best of luck.