New Grad Los Angeles Nurse - WHEN AM I GOING TO FIND A NEW GRAD PROGRAM?!?!

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Specializes in New Grad Nurse.

When I graduated nursing school in June, I would have never thought that I might not be working for close to a year! I have applied to programs since I graduated and nothing. I am really really holding out for the apps that open in December but those still aren't even to start until March and April. I am so scared to start working because I feel like I don't even remember anything and I am just going to bomb all my interviews. Why is it so hard for people to become nurses and then start working when there is apparently just a "shortage."

Please tell me I am not alone in this.

Seasoned nurses: if I don't get selected for any of the December applications, what else are my options as a new grad with zero medical experience? Where else can I start working and make good money? My fear is that I will take a random job, start working and then if I ever want to switch over to a hospital RN job, I won't even be considered because I'll have no bedside experience, but I won't qualify for anymore new grad positions if I keep applying to them because now I have paid RN experience.

This is brutal =( 

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It's not just you! I graduated a bit before you did and I'm still looking for a new grad job! I just keep telling myself it's a good sign that I'm at least getting some interviews and that the right job will come along soon. Even if the interviews don't go well, learn from them and know what to do better for the next one. If you're not getting any interviews, then I would consider editing your resume and perhaps asking friends/family to look over and help edit your resume/cover letter/etc.

Unfortunately I think the nursing shortage refers to a shortage of experienced nurses. A lot of new nurses quit working after a year or a few years, which means there are fewer experienced nurses looking for jobs, and an abundance of new grad nurses looking for jobs every graduation period.

Just keep up the job search and I'm sure something good will come along! It's important to try and stay positive. I think this Winter might be easier to get accepted into some residencies because most nurses who recently graduated in the Summer already got a job.

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Hey girl I'm on the same boat as you:(

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Same boat as you. I got my license late-July 2024 and I've been shooting my shot at all the hospitals that would accept ADNs, most I've been met with are no-responses or straight up denials. All throughout nursing school we've been told that there are nursing shortages and that we would be the ones to fill those gaps, but realistically there's a shortage on experienced nurses. I wish you luck on the search and hope Lady Luck is on your side.

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Are you in the Los Angeles area? So cal is brutal. Have you tried inland a bit? Like central or San Bernardino area? I went to nursing school in Texas and everyone had jobs before graduation. And this was an ADN program. Hospitals, residencies all reached out, also our instructors reached out as well. Some areas have a strong network and some do not. Sometimes moving to a different state helps in going to school or getting a job, then transferring back. Just a thought. 

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Specializes in school nursing, autism, behavior disorders.

I'm not in the same boat as you but I can at least offer some information. So I graduated back in 2021, worked for 3 months before I switched jobs to school nursing. I've now been there for 2 years and want to go back to the hospital. However, I was worried (just like you) that I would not be eligible for a new grad program since I've worked as a school nurse for 2+ years.... even though I SHOULD be considered new grad because I've only had 3 months hospital experience. Most new grad residencies require 6 months or less of experience (some say 12 months or less). Well,  I applied to Novant in NC, and asked them if I was eligible. They said yes, because it has to be 12 months or less of acute care experience. They said RN experience in a school, urgent care, doctor's office, etc. wouldn't count (yay!).

All that being said, ask the programs what they consider as "experience" maybe you could get a job outside of the hospital and then make it into a program at a later time. Maybe programs in your area will have the same "rules" as mine!

My program interview is next week... so hopefully I'll get in!

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You are not alone, I've been desperately trying to find literally any job as a new grad. I graduated in Dec 2022 but encountered new and sudden health issues shortly after an extended delay in taking the NCLEX due to , so I only recently passed and got my RN license this past May. I actually got hired within a month of passing the NCLEX for a full time Med Surg/Behavioral Health RN position at some hospital in LA (unsure if I want to name drop them), but for some reason they wouldn't give me an official start date on the unit floor. I tried reaching out many times to HR and management but they legit ghosted me and have been ignoring all my emails and calls/voicemails.

I've also applied to SOOO many job listings for RN positions, but I never get called back because I have no nursing experience. It's been nearly impossible finding motivation to keep submitting applications cus I know I won't hear back, but I've been unemployed and broke for way too long with accumulating bills. I've been looking for new grad residency programs as well, but I really can't wait another few months or so to start since they're mostly begin cohorts every quarter/half yearly. I've been struggling to get myself out of my depressive slump, especially knowing my classmates from nursing school have already completed their new grad programs and I am nowhere near the starting point. After rushing to study and pass the NCLEX while dealing with health problems, I genuinely thought the job search as a new RN was going to be easy smooth sailing in comparison. 

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wow I'm on the same boat, I passed the NCLEX in aug and have been applying in the LA area ever since. I've applied to several residencies, serval jobs near me, and nothing has come about 😞 everyone in my cohort had found jobs in NV( where my program was) & it's getting embarrassing when they ask for updates and I have nothing to show for 😞

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Just finished passed my NCLEX in November.  While its only been 2 weeks since I got my RN license.  I Started to apply to every single hospital thats opened in LA and im willing to relocate to OC and San diego for a new grad program.   I went to an accelerated nursing school in the east coast and everyone already got a job before they took the NCLEX.   Since I was in nursing school in the east coast, I was out of touch of with the california nursing job market.... when I came back to LA and met up with nursing friends who went to Mount Saint marys and they all told me, its difficult as a new grad nurse.   I suggest to hire a professional resume/cover letter writer who specializes in nursing careers to help you fix you resume.  Since most websites uses A1 to detect certain keywords to retain or filter your application out.    I wish everyone the best of luck!! 

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