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  1. Why can't a new graduate get a RN job

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Good evening everyone , my name is Anthony. I took the NCLEX December 2, 2014 . I had 265 questions and I passed it. It took me over 5 hours. I am looking for a job. I am not only an RN, I am also a paramedic. I recently renewed my license and I have both up to date. I am applying all over and I noticed that hospitals and other spots require experience. I still apply anyways and I make sure that I mention that I have paramedic experience. Even though it is not nursing experience but I do have experience in patient contact. It does not make sense how a new graduate can't find a job. I understand that I took the NCLEX 10 days ago and the year is about to be over in about 3 weeks. I understand that no one will hire over the christmas break but how do you expect for me to get experience when you don't even give me a chance. I have patient contact experience, that should put me up there. It is not logical how hospitals are asking for experience when there is a national SHORTAGE of nurses. Once a nurse gets too comfortable on where they are, they will stay there for years and most of them will not apply to other hospitals because of their comfort level. Why can't we new graduates get a chance. We are less prone to make mistakes because if a hospital hires me, will only know their way of doing things and no other way of doing it. What do you guys think?

Well I am sooooooo sorry for making that statement . Either way, I am not 100% wrong on the topic. I am looking for work and using the connections i have to help me.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Should you give up after 10 days? Did you really just ask that?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Tony, I hope that's not your actual photo as your avatar. It's really unwise to identify yourself on a public forum. Prospective employers can and certainly do frequent nursing forums. folks have been fired/not hired based on social media.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Perinatal, Endoscopy, IVF Lab.

1. There is NO nursing shortage.

2. Be patient. It's a bad time of year to get hired. January is coming in a few short weeks. Apply for everything out there. You need experience. That's the way to get it.

3. Be patient.

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Specializes in PACU.
Tony, I hope that's not your actual photo as your avatar. It's really unwise to identify yourself on a public forum. Prospective employers can and certainly do frequent nursing forums. folks have been fired/not hired based on social media.

I 100% agree with this statement. I am in HR and frequent this forum (obviously).

What area are you in currently? People may be able to direct you better knowing what part of the country you are in.

I absolutely recommend keeping an eye out for residency programs that should be posting around now or January. They are hospital programs geared towards new grad nurses to get the experience they need.

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10 days is a little soon to give up. I know people looking for over a year and they haven't given up. I looked for 5 -6 months, did a little per diem while I looked, it doesn't count as any kind of good/real experience but it made me some money and gave me something to put on my resume. Now I have a job, not the elite hospital job I hoped for, but it's a job and I will gain experience from it. There are people who feel they are above taking the jobs they don't want and there they are, unemployed while I get paid to be taught how to use my skills.

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Specializes in Med/surg, Onc.

It takes most new grads even in decent markets a couple months to get a job. Not all hospitals will hire you without Rn experience, so look into long term care options for a way to get Rn experience.

Where in the country are you? Some places are slightly easier than others. I'm in the greater Milwaukee, wi area and we are still hiring new grads and my class that graduated with ADNs in December last year all had jobs within 4-6 months, some quicker than others.

I put in over 200 applications to 5 different hospital systems within an hour drive of my home, it took 3 months and I'm very happy with my choice and my hospital.

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Specializes in CCM, PHN.

I feel badly for you if your school snowed you into believing there was a shortage. That's what schools do to get your money and keep their graduation rates up. It's a blatant lie they've been pushing for years to recruit students.

But I don't feel bad for you if you didn't research this before committing to school. A simple Google search, and search of this forum, brings up hundreds, if not thousands of articles, posts, editorials, statistics and testimonials about the fact there has NOT been a shortage for over a decade, new grads sometimes take a YEAR or more to find a job and the market is pretty awful for nursing almost everywhere. Also, a conversation with an experienced nurse might have enlightened you to all this as well. Tons of this information is all available to you any time and has been for years, so your ignorance to it is a choice you made.

That being said, I wish you all the luck in the world. Which it looks like you'll need. Start by maybe not using your actual photo on this website.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

You think the take away message is to give up? That's the opposite of what we are saying. We are saying that you need to have patience and stop being cocky because you have patient care experience. We're giving you other avenues to explore and suggestions and telling you it may take awhile. How you got "give up" out of that is beyond me.

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It took me 8 months and about 500 applications before I got a job. It took me moving three hours away from my husband and daughter to get a job at a small rural hospital. Keep at it. Something will come.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
It took me 8 months and about 500 applications before I got a job. It took me moving three hours away from my husband and daughter to get a job at a small rural hospital. Keep at it. Something will come.

Or perhaps something will NOT come because of the attitude and the avatar.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I am so sorry your were told incorrect information. There is not a nursing shortage. There are many reasons for this...but the economic crash in 2008 effected nursing as well. In some parts of the country, like California, there is as 47% unemployment rate of nurses mostly new grads.

Due to the plethora of nurses...mostly because of the proliferation of for profit ADN programs that sprang up everywhere....facilities are able to pick and choose. Many facilities are hiring only BSN graduates keeping with the push by the ANA for all BSN nurses at the bedside (something they have been trying to do for years). The average job hunt for new graduates is about 10 months....with in some parts of the country up to 2 years. I have been getting head hunter calls again so maybe things are beginning to lighten up and the market will eventually improve.

If you use the search feature here and typo in nursing shortage you will see many discussions about this very topic.

Depending on your area...you might have a bit of a long haul. Here is a job data/density report that might help you. Nurses Schools, Salaries, and Job Data

Learn to market yourself. Be professional. Dress professional. Play your paramedic experience is a positive light. I agree with everyone...nursing isn't fond of real names on social media. HR department frequent these sites. While allnurses is anonymous it is public and can be Googled.

I wish you all the best.

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