Need Acute Care Experience PLEASE HELP

[lovegreen27]

I graduated 2 years ago with my RN. I worked for a year in a long term geriatric behavioral care center. First big mistake. Then I moved to California and have had the hardest time finding a job in a hospital. I want to get acute care experience because I know this will open a lot of doors and I will finally put into practice evrything I learned in nursing school. I am currently working at a skilled nursing facility. No luck in finding a job in a hospital. I feel trapped and unhappy. Every hospital tells me that they want somebody with at least a year experience. Well how am I going to get a year experience if I don't even get an opportunity. Please help.

[7inhouse]

I know exactly how you feel! I graduated with my RN in May of 09 here in Texas. At that time there were major hiring freezes here and my only options were Home Health. Now for my class mates that were CNA's, or new someone in the hospital setting or were lucky to get an internship program got in to work in a hospital setting. But for those that weren't so lucky having been working in the Home Health setting for over a yr. now. I have been applying and applying and calling and calling...but NO LUCK! Im so frustrated! I want my acute care experience so that I can have the option of working anywhere, but no one will give me the chance! How am I suppose to get the acute care experience if no one will hire me! I was working in a Post acute care facility for about 4months, but quit because I felt my license was going to be in jepardy. 1nurse to 48 pts! How is that right? Scary if you ask me. Now, im working Home Health Private duty Pediatrics...and this gets boring! I have wound vac experienc, wound dressing change experience/assessment, vents, trach, GB, tremendous amount of patient teaching, blood drawing experience. I feel like Im running into walls. Were can I go and who will hire me?

So frustrated