New Grad RPN- losing hope

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Hello! I'm a new grad RPN, I just registered with the CNO last month.

I'm losing hope because I have no working experience as a nurse and I've been rejected from every place I applied to. I can't seem to get a call back from anywhere. I spoke to a friend who is also an RPN and she told me that its very competitive out there. She didn't find a job for months after graduating.

As a mom with 3 little kids, I won't be able to afford daycare much longer without a job.

Does anyone have any advice? Where should I start? What places will hire a new grad RPN?

I want to work in a hospital setting but I know now that its...impossible.

Any advice is appreciated!

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The market is quite competitive at the moment. I didn't get an interview until 3 months after I got my license for RN. You just got to hang in there, keep applying and continuously adjust your cover letter/resume. Have you looked at the HFO website for job posting? I know that they don't have many RPN posting but it is still another resource. If you liked your consolidation placement and if your preceptor liked you, you can try asking them if they can ask the manager for a job opportunity. You can also Google when they have job conventions.

It also depends on the timing, at certain time in the year, there will be mass posting of jobs and other times none.

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It’s not impossible to get a job in a hospital. Why do you think that? It hasn’t been that long. Just keep applying to everything and something will come along. What part of Ontario are you in?

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I'm having the same issues. I don't understand what else I am supposed to do.
I was enrolled in Humber's Patient assessment post-grad course, then COVID happened and it was canceled.
I am now looking into taking Medication administration online or begin an ER certificate online as well. - anyone have experience or advice which one to take? There's nephrology too.

With the number of calls of nurses right now, I'm getting nowhere and assume they don't want new grads. This is very discouraging.

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The assessment course and the medication admin course are for RPNs that went to school years ago before it was a part of the regular program. You don’t need them.

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How long has it been since you wrote the exam? It might just take some time.

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On 4/13/2020 at 7:05 AM, Lucydog14 said:

The assessment course and the medication admin course are for RPNs that went to school years ago before it was a part of the regular program. You don’t need them.

A lot of job applications, especially Sunnybrook prefer that you have the health assessment post-grad course done as it acts as a refresher with more in-depth assessments. majority of nurses in my class were either experienced looking to enhance their assessments or new grads wanting a more in-depth assessment skills and have it on their resume.

A few job applications, especially for northern Canada require Med administration certificate.

14 hours ago, Khow89 said:

How long has it been since you wrote the exam? It might just take some time.

I'm not sure for OP but I registered with CNO in mid January 2020, been looking as of March.

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Yes those courses are for people that graduated before they were a regular part of the program. Some job postings still list them.

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On 4/14/2020 at 2:20 PM, stonepod said:

A lot of job applications, especially Sunnybrook prefer that you have the health assessment post-grad course done as it acts as a refresher with more in-depth assessments. majority of nurses in my class were either experienced looking to enhance their assessments or new grads wanting a more in-depth assessment skills and have it on their resume.

A few job applications, especially for northern Canada require Med administration certificate.

I'm not sure for OP but I registered with CNO in mid January 2020, been looking as of March.

Like the other poster said, health assessment and medication administration courses are for older RPN grads when it wasn’t included in the program. Now it is so since you’re a recent grad, you will click yes when Sunnybrook or whatever hospital ask if you’ve completed a health assessment and/or medication administration course.

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If worse comes to worse, you could always apply to a PSW/HCA job!

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Hey guys! OP here!

I just wanted to update all of you. Thank-you for all the input and advice you have given me. I'm happy to say that I got a job in my consolidation unit, I'm officially a Mother and Baby nurse (postpartum nurse) in the hospital! yay! I had to email my consolidation manager repeatedly to remind her to schedule me an interview.

For those of you who are still looking for a job, do not give up hope. Keep looking and keep trying. You will get there eventually!

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