New Grad...A must read!!!

[Thank_You_RNs]

Has anyone been turned down by a hospital nurse recruiter because you work in a long term care (LTC) facility (not an Acute experience)? Also, has anyone been told by a nurse recruiter that you might not be eligible to apply as a newly RN grad anymore because you are currently working at LTC? Or been told that you might not be eligible for the Versant Program because by the next hiring date (assuming feb 2010), it will be past 12 months from your graduation date from nursing school (a program criteria)?

The reason why I am asking is because I had this experience with a nurse recruiter and its really frustrating. I really wanted to work in a hospital setting. The problem is that they wanted experience nurses only. For new grads, they have these criterias which makes it hard for some of us, who have no choice but to work in LTC so that we can pay the bills, to set our foot into their doors.

Please share your experiences.

[people person]

I am a "seasoned" old nurse. Sadly I have read so much confusion concerning new hires.

Firstly, there is NO shortage of nurses....There was just a shortage of working nurses with active licemses. How do I know? I was recruited back to nursing by a Roberts Wood Johnson seminar for active licensed nurses who were not working . There were about ten of us in attendance and we were told there were 40 thousand active licensed R Ns in our tri state corner of the world. This was about 7 years ago.

Now it seems the gov got the message across as did the PR to the public .......and I am now hearing that new BSN Grads cannot find work.

Truth is our economy is sliding due to the redistribution of the global economy put in place in '98. A level economic playing field is needed for the global governance of a global economy and since the US was on the top of the heap we were slated to come down......Outsourcing ,insourcing and downsizing is the name of the game . Anything to save money in order to compete with the rest of the world for profits. Although healthcare fields are last to show since we need people here to care for our own, hospitals have been in the the same cost cutting game...So many unemployed people went to school for nursing since it showed the best promise for work and salary as advertised by career counselors and colleges...but the truth is.......LTC and hospitals are operating with minimal staffing compared to the old days so not many staffers either want to or have time to Orient a new grad.

Nursing is a tough job which has increased in stress due to new technologies and increased responsibilities ..........but mostly due to decreased staffing for cost cutting purposes and higher profits.

We all remember the endless surveys that we had to fill out thirty years ago on the floors. All drawn up by the financial economic people hired to cost cut and save time and money for the hospitals.90% of all LTC are understaffed now with high turnovers and it is going to get worse because of Medicare cuts.

Three or four years ago the Bilderberg Group met in Canada and what came out of that meeting struck a nerve in me. "Healthcare workers in the USA make too much money compared to the rest of the world."

Nurses can be a nasty group that ,'eat our own' because of this and because so many have gone into nursing just for a job ,rather than the bulk of compassionate advocates who signed on decades ago.

My hair is white but my memory is still sharp as are my observational skills.I really found it sad but typical in the workplace too , to read the argument on this thread.

There was a time when kindness and help was extended between nurses on the floors.......now there are more jabs and gripes. I blame the gov/economy and the medical facilities for increasing stress for increased profits and everyone is suffering including the patients.There are probably no nurses residing in tent cities yet , but I fear the day will come for this profession too as clolleges ,vo techs and online courses produce a glut here also along with the foriegn gals who are given social security perks to fill the created and alleged void.

[xNurse415X]

As a new grad here in Cali, the SF bay actually, I thought I'd hit up every hospital.. then if nothing panned out I'd start hitting SNFs. Well I have personally walked into every almost every hospital in the bay area or applied online. I started going city to city everyday dressed up and applying at SNFs. I was shocked at how hard even getting hired at a SNF is right now. In my opinion, I think we should take a job at a SNf or LTC. I would hope that future hospital employers would look at the fact that in this economy we were able to find nursing work no matter where it is as a positive thing. I have many many classmates who are not working or doing various jobs that are in no way related to nursing. While the road to our ideal nursing job might be a longer one I believe we will get there. These are hard times.

I also have an interview tomorrow and a second interview at another facility.. send me some good vibes por favor.

Hey Bre14,

Just curious to what facilities you were able to be land interviews at....and Good Luck to them as well!!! Did you still hit up hospitals (not SNFs)???? If you did, was it any help?? Thanks and hope to hear from you soon!

[sugarcoated]

Thank You RN's

Can you tell me what is the Versant Program ?"

[xNurse415X]

Thank You RN's

Can you tell me what is the Versant Program ?"

Hey sugarcoated,

Versant programs are RN Residency Programs for New Grads. "It is a comprehensive, evidence-based onboarding of new graduate nurses that helps them gain the experience, judgment, skills and confidence they need to navigate the complexity of hospital life. Entering the professional world as novices, Residents progress to the competent level quickly, safely and efficiently."

Not all hospitals offer it, but if you go to their site: http://www.versant.org it'll let you know which hospitals in every state offers it. Good luck to us all still looking!!!!

[sugarcoated]

Thank You XNurse415X for your info and for responding so quickly.

[xNurse415X]

Thank You XNurse415X for your info and for responding so quickly.

Hey sugarcoated,

You're very welcome!!!! :loveya:

[zebsmom2002]

Sorry, but I've heard all of the above. Keep trying! You might try something like acute rehab & go from there to acute care.

[naomi1280]

What a nice post. Very thoughtful and informative. What advice to you have for new graduates in regards to finding a job. I am graduating with an ADN this december and applying to a Rn-BSN program in NYC. I take my NCLEX by february/early march. I quit my full time job and went part time thinking I would have a good chance at landing a job when I graduate. Now, I see the NYC hospitals are saturated and turning away ADN. I have started my Job Search already and it seems so bleak. My clinical professor said that there are jobs in other states, which is quite depressing to think that I need make another sacrifice by relocating far from family and friends for a job. As I type this post I am studying for my exam and part me thinks it is futile. I have heard many colleagues say if you get a job in a nursing home, hospitals won't hire you. Any advise as to what I should do? This whole situation is quite depressing.

[zebsmom2002]

Just keep trying & don't give up. I know it's really frustrating. Sometimes it takes a while. I know a lot of people who have had luck with the skilled to acute rehab to acute care (that's what I did in 1981, when I was a new grad & the job situation was similar). You may try to get a job in acute care as a nurse aide or unit secretary, even environmental services, so you'd already be a facility employee when you graduate. Also, nurture contacts when you do your preceptorship section of clinical--that can be really helpful.

Just an observation: I don't know about New York, but in CA, your chances of finding a job as a new grad with a BSN are even lower than with an ADN (antidotal evidence & observation in acute care in the San Francisco & Monterey Bay areas as well as lots of contact with nursing students and new grads).

[wee_oneRN]

My clinical professor said that there are jobs in other states, which is quite depressing to think that I need make another sacrifice by relocating far from family and friends for a job.

I live in CA and it is also very difficult to find new grad spots here. From what I have heard, every state seems to have the same issue going on, so don't just pack the kids with visions of a greener pasture. There are jobs out there, we are all just having to fight for them.

I have heard many colleagues say if you get a job in a nursing home, hospitals won't hire you. Any advise as to what I should do? This whole situation is quite depressing.

I don't think that statement holds true in the present situation. I too took a job at an LTC part-time. Try to stay in the sub-acute. I have been on 2 interviews since then and the feedback I have received has been positive that I have been working in the nursing field. I think that everyone understands the situation we have as they are getting 100's of apps from new grads, so an LTC job (especially short-term) no longer has the same negative appeal.

I have also put in hundreds of apps online. Here is what is working for me: Write personalized cover letters (When you see a job posting, call the specific hospital HR and find out who is in charge of hiring for that position. Write a SPECIFIC cover letter: Dear Specific name, I am applying to specific hospital, specific unit yadda yadda) THEN submit your online app with cover letter.

Call that specific person to follow-up with them about a week later.

Email or call your clinical professors. I sent an email about a specific position (NICU) that I am trying for. I asked if they had any suggestions or knew of a specific contact at the facility. Not only did they give me a name, but one wrote me a letter of recommendation, and another called the facility for me. (I went for my interview monday, I am sooo excited)

Do NOT just throw out 100's of apps. Instead of spending that time throwing coins in every fountain, focus on the depts that you are interested in (try float pool too) only, and spend that time making it personal and calling weekly to check in. You have to make yourself stand out. And lastly, try not to spend too much time on these 'I can't find a job' posts because you must stay positive.

Best of luck and love from Cali!:heartbeat

[ALBANIA-RN]

CAN ANYONE TELL ME HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE IN REALITY FOR THE Tennessee board of nursing to mail the new license that i have applied for by endorsement?

Every time i email to the board for anything they never tell me exactly what i want and they are very rude.

PLEASE SOMEBODY TELL ME

[TristanT]

"many many positions..."

I'm calling BS on this post. There are no jobs in LTC or ANYWHERE in Washington for new grads!!!

We should all be on the pre-nursing school section of this site right now dissuading the poor innocents from even attempting to get into nursing to begin with.