Military Wife Trying to Find a Job

Nurses General Nursing

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My husband is in the USMC and when he enlisted I was already in school and I couldn't leave with him when he was sent to his first duty station in Okinawa, Japan for 2 years. I had to deal with being in school and married but really had no reason as to why I couldn't go except nursing school because of credits. Since Japan, he got orders to go to Camp Pendleton, CA where we now have a place on base he's on deployment and I'm here in North Carolina and will be a May graduate with my BSN yayyy!!!:yeah: When I graduate I will be moving ASAP to CA.

Right now I'm trying to find a job either on base or close to base and this is the hardest search in the world to me. If any one knows how to get an interview quick or get the Navy Hospital to get in touch with you fast please let me know because they say not to call just keep checking your notices but that's crazy. I know it may be a little harder to land an interview when you aren't from the area but I thought doing the base hospital would be better. I am going to Cali for my Spring Break and I was hoping to get an interview while I was there but who knows.

If anyone can help me with this little issue please I'm begging :bowingpur. It sucks to be in a position where a nurse manager has already practically offered you a job after an extern but you can't accept because you've been with your husband like 3 months since USMC because of school and you want to finally be a married couple but then you really want a job and no one is responding to you :down:. Then most of your friends have had like 3 interviews in one month. For real I need some advice.

Also, does anyone have any advice on where I should take the NCLEX here in NC or when I get to CA since my husband will still be deployed :bugeyes:?

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Most military hospitals are staffed by outside agencies and not by the hospitals themselves. You should have no trouble getting a job once you get there.

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So what else would you suggest? Do you think it will be a good idea to take my resume to them when I get there in March?

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

With you being a military spouse, you have some job preference on-base. Contact the base civilian personnel office (or the USMC equivalent) and ask them for advice. As to NCLEX, personally, I found it easier to take in the state I was moving to because then I didn't have to endorse it over to another state, thus skippin one step.

I too was a military spouse and ugh, what school sacrifices and the repeated classes and the separations. Oh well, like me, you will soon be done with that and able to join your husband. Take care and good luck.

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I might even send my resume to them now...giving them a bit of a head's up...I am actually going to PM you some thoughts

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Specializes in US Army.

Congratulations to you. I'm also a graduate of the NC system (WSSU).

Take your NCLEX in NC since that is your home state, and it is also a compact state. See https://www.ncsbn.org/158.htm

CA is not part of the NLC, but if you plan to work at a federal/military facility you just need a valid nursing license from any state. You can easily request an endorsement from the state of CA if you plan to work in the local community.

Have you checked available jobs via http://www.usajobs.gov/ or the Navy's site https://chart.donhr.navy.mil/? Unfortunately the hiring process is usually pretty long, on avg. 12 weeks.

Most military facilities also use various nursing agencies to fill in staff shortages, but agency work tends to carry a non compete clause...

My word of advice to you is to go by the hospital in person and speak with a Nurse Manager. Human resources is NOT the place to go in a federal facility.

Good luck to you.

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OMG Jarnaes that is where I am in school, that is so crazy. Yes I have been to usajobs, job.com, and the navy website. 12 weeks that is a long time I really hoping to speak with someone while on Spring Break in March so I will know what to expect when I moved there in June. I was also thinking of just taking my resume by there and you are right HR is a mess. Also, I'm in a NCLEX class this semester so I'll prob. take the test in CA and apply for license in NC because that is possible because the entire USA takes the same NCLEX. If I stay here I may not be focused, if I'm there I will be bored and have no choice but to study, lol.

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Specializes in US Army.

Is Dr. Canzona still teaching Cardio? I loved her, she was the bomb, tough as nails.

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No Canzona is gone and Im so upset. She received an offer from Fay. State to help them because they were doing poorly.

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Specializes in US Army.

Well, they won't be doing poorly much longer if Dr. C is let loose. Too bad for WSSU, they are losing a great asset.

I hope you'll get some good leads on jobs when you go out to CA. I would visit the nurse managers on a few of the inpatient units. If they are short of staff they will go and fight for you with HR to speed up the process.

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Just want to say good post. I currently work at a civilian hospital since I came home for my dh's deployment but I am hoping to go into working for the govt at our next duty station. This thread is really helpful.

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