New grad discouraged about job oppurtunity

evolvingrn, BSN, RN · Oct 6, 2010

i don't work long term but that may just be what you have to do to get your foot in the door. you don't know until you try it if you can handle it ore even if you will like it. my friend felt the same as you and now she actually loves LTC she still plans on switching to the er one day but in the mean time she has found a job that she makes a difference at. I would hate for someone to get out of nursing before they even gave it a chance because of a pride issue. good luck

mochamocha · Oct 6, 2010

how long have you been a new grad? it's very hard to find a hospital job nowadays. have you looked at other areas in nursing besides nursing homes?

private offices, ambulatory centers..etc. It took me a year after graduation to find a private ambulatory job. Apply everywhere and keep your options open because one day, someone out there will want you. Meanwhile, I am working and still searching for a hospital job so I'd suggest you take anything for now to get your foot in the door. I have friends who worked at nursing homes for about 3 months and end up getting a hospital job. Try it, you'll get the experience you need and will have something extra to add to your resume.

nursynurseRN · Oct 6, 2010

Take what you can get now... Work for nurses is getting really hard to find... especially with all the new grads and competition out there. Without any nursing experience you're at a big loss, just try to get anything even home health just to put something on your resume while something comes up. Keep looking.

Kitty Hawk, ADN, RN · Oct 6, 2010

I understand the feeling. I held out for a hospital job last year and didn't find a job at all and finally in Dec got hired in LTC!At that time I figured maybe it was for the best and it'll be great the place seemed really wonderful....I figured out a little over a month it wasn't for me and actively pursued other avenues.

I wasn't sure I'd want a hospital job either, but now that I have one..I'm really enjoying most of it. Even though it's more stress that I ever imagined and I imagined a lot!

Aside from getting better organizational skills, I learned a lot about managing confused pts and dementia. I wouldn't have believed it, I thought in critical care they'd be too ill to be combatative, but that's huge where I work now. At least we can restrain them if necessary, but it still takes an art to be able to talk to them and try to calm them as best as possible.

I know some will say LTC is like a step down unit (and I was told that at my previous place) but I strongly disagree in my experience. It was mostly psych nursing, but that's still something I gained. And I can't imagine trying to figure out how to manage those types of pts as well as learning all of the new skills.

I only had to work there 7, almost 8 mos before being able to get into the hospital and if I'd gone in a completely different direction or opted for no job, I doubt that they would have taken a chance on me.

I wish you luck...I know it isn't easy

tobesmartt · Oct 7, 2010

Good luck in your journey. Downsizing hospitals means decrease staff members. If you really want to stay out of LTC then keep looking hard. and looking fast.

lovelife2 · Oct 7, 2010

I'm not sure what LTC facility in particular you are mentioning but some facilities actually have medically complex/rehab patients. It will never be like a hospital but somedays & with some patients it is mighty close. I have worked in a nursing& rehab center where the second floor was long term & the first floor rehab. I've worked with pts with trachs, g-tubes, LVADs, wound life vests, administered peritoneal dialysis, and learned a lot! Make sure the place you work has a rehab unit with medically complex patients. Look into an organization named Manor Care

LaughingRN · Oct 7, 2010

I'm a new grad in Michigan as well. I applied to literally every hospital job possible and in 5 months only got one call back (I didn't even get an interview because I was out of the country on vacation at the time and it took me over 24 hours to respond to the voicemail annnnnd they had filled all the interview spots by then, it was ICU too, so talk about disappointing)

I started thinking "outside" the box, and I applied to 4 jobs that weren't hospital such as psych nurse, stand alone surgery centers, offices ect....I had a 50% call back and interview rate with them and within two weeks I found full-time employment in an area that was not LTC, and I am thoroughly enjoying myself at my job right now...Don't give up and try ideas off the beaten path :)

pinoynursej2010 · Oct 7, 2010

You guys keep on mentioning LTC,, what does it means anyway? lol!! could someone please enlighten me... XD

LaughingRN · Oct 7, 2010

You guys keep on mentioning LTC,, what does it means anyway? lol!! could someone please enlighten me... XD

Longterm care :)

Upgrading_Status, BSN, MSN, RN, NP · Oct 7, 2010

You guys keep on mentioning LTC,, what does it means anyway? lol!! could someone please enlighten me... XD

Long Term Care

Nursing Home, Rehab facility, etc

pinoynursej2010 · Oct 7, 2010

thanks for the replies guys... ^_^