too much experience - vent

[pbajil]

I am a RN with 14 years of adult experience. I graduated from a great school. In the beginning of my career I took what job was available at the time. I always thought as a nurse, I could switch specialties later on. That's what everyone says, right? Wrong. For the past 7 years I have been applying for jobs in different specialties. I am not given the time of day because I don't have experience in that area. Yet, I know for a fact they hire new grads. I meet these people in person. I do a facebook search and see their public profiles. There are new grads being hired in these hospitals, in these specific areas. I am a great nurse but am not given the opportunity to even interview.

No one told me that if I got TOO much experience in one area, that no one would be interested in hiring me for another.

[pbajil]

Also, the recruiters consistently ask me why my past or current position is "only" part time or per diem. And what about this one year you took "off" to raise a child 8 years ago? Yes, and I do not regret that. Yet the new grads are coming right out of school... they haven't been working full time consistently over a 10 year period either. There is a double standard... for us that are already nurses, we can not be a mom who has stayed home with their children part of the time. And if I am applying for full time "dream jobs" and aren't getting them, yes I am still working part time in the position I am NOT happy in.

[Nonetheless]

For every new grad you see getting a job there are 400 who got rejected

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

That's so true. I worked inpatient rehab as a CNA, hospital-based because the patients were still acutely ill, and there were a ton of nurses on my floor who wanted to change specialties and get into something like ICU but no one would let them. That's one of the many reasons I moved far away from home as a new grad to chase the ICU nursing dream... I feel like ICU experience can get your foot in the door almost anywhere, that it's possible to move from the highest level of monitoring into a lower one, but you can't always get into a different area from med/surg, LTC, rehab, etc. It's really ridiculous that that's how the system works.

[SE_BSN_RN, BSN]

I hear you, believe me. I spent 6 years in LTC, 2 in PDN and can't get a job in acute care. I am a "new" RN, but not a new nurse. It sucks. Just tell them, when they ask, you are p/t because you chose to work p/t and now you want f/t (if indeed, you do want f/t). I don't know why for them it is even an issue!

[pbajil]

Thanks for the support. I'm glad I am not the only one. It is frustrating because I know for a fact that they are hiring new grads to these positions. I see nurse residency positions listed for new grads too. Either that, or they say they will only hire RNs with 3+ years of experience in that specialty area. So, my RN experience is not only worth NOTHING, but apparently it is a NEGATIVE. They wither want unit specific experience, or NO experience at all.

My advice for new grads: Either specialize where you want to be ASAP out of school. OR if you have to take a med/surg job, leave it only after ONE YEAR. Do not think that you can change specialties after 5, 10, 15+ years. They will not take you.

[Gentleman_nurse, MSN]

They are looking for a purple squirrel. The perfect applicant. Zero defects, faults or baggage. A person who graduated with a 4.0 from an Ivy league college, worked in a top tier hospital, can jump tall buildings, catch bullets in their teeth, and raise the dead.

[newnicurn]

When I graduated in '05 they were handing out jobs. I got a job in med surg (I know I could have got anything else) but quickly learned it wasn't for me. Almost 1 1/2 years in I finally got a job in the NICU. I went from days to nights for this specialty. As a seasoned nurse of 9 years I want OR and days. I can't handle consistent nights. My first job rotated you only if the was a need. I did 3 night shifts in all of my 15 months.

I have been charge, I worked with EMR and paper flow sheets, I did go-lives, I precepted, resourced, went to high risk deliveries, did staffing, delegated to assistants and worked in only RN units. I even paid for my resume to be done over professionally. You would think people would be beating down my door. Thought about travel nursing but most jobs are 13 weeks of nights.

I was telling a friend I think I was mislead about nursing. I became nurse to help people but I feel so burned out. I learned in this field if you don't stand up for yourself they will walk all over you. Sorry I'm venting too.

[hope3456, ASN, RN]

I graduated in '05 also - crazy how the market has changed in 9 years!

[Gentleman_nurse, MSN]

It stinks all around new grad or experienced. Working or unemployed. I read an article about a university that is offering a degree in biomedical engineering and nursing. At first I thought it was crazy. Now I'm seeing the point. It's a niche. I'm wondering if I should do the same. Stay being a teacher and use my nursing training to enhance my practice.