New nurse finding a job while on probation?

[newRN83]

Hello everyone,

I am in a real pickle and need advice. I graduated about nine months ago from a BSN program and completed and passed the NCLEX two months after graduation. When I submitted my application to the board of nursing, of course they do a background check and had a DUI in 2012. It was set-aside by a judge last year. After everything was said and done, the board gave me my license but stamped it with probation. After graduation I moved back to my small hometown where there are about three hospitals. They won't hire without experience so I went looking in rehab. I got a job lined up but we were waiting on my license to be active before they could officially offer it to me. The job knew I was on probation. Also, for your info, this probation doesn't have many restrictions like if I was a drug user. I have no controlled substance medications restrictions because that was not the issue here. Once I got the limitations of my probation one of them is that there must be another RN in the building while I am working. This was a problem for the job I had lined up because they have one RN working and the remainder LPN's for each shift. So they couldn't offer me the job. I applied for another job in rehab and got a response from the hiring manager that she was impressed with my cover letter. I did not initially mention in my cover letter that I was on probation but I did tell the hiring manager when she emailed me stating she was impressed with my cover letter. After that, I received no further contact from her, simply a letter in the mail stating they had chosen other applicants.

Other restrictions to my probation are: no night shift, no PRN, home health, nurse's registry, traveling nurse, float pool, or position that requires on-call status. And as already mentioned, another RN must be in the building while I'm practicing nursing.

I just started the online masters program from the same school that I got my BSN, so that is keeping me quite busy. I also volunteer at the local hospital in their ED and labor and delivery once a week.

I feel defeated. For those of you that work in HR or are familiar, what can I do? Is there an acceptable way to include my probation on my cover letter? Is there a way to say, it's not because I do drugs?

Thank you for your help.

[newRN83]

Any advice that you guys have would be good to hear also.

If you have questions to further understand my situation, please ask.

I went into nursing school with the dream of finally having a job that would satisfy me where I would be using my full potential. The first time I went to college (my BSN was my 2nd Bachelors) I started my major in Nursing but then changed it to Health Sciences because quite honestly I couldn't hack it. Now that I'm more mature, I made life changing decision to quit my job and enroll in a fast-track 15 month BSN program to finally follow my dreams. Now I am sitting at home, searching and searching for jobs that fit the criteria. I may have to broaden to my search to other cities. But it still comes back to the question of how I inform the potential employer of my probation.

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

Thread moved for replies from those with similar experiences.

[KCMnurse, BSN, MSN, RN]

I realize that this thread is old but I wanted to respond. How about approaching the managers where you are currently 'volunteering'? I am not sure what capacity your role is there but they could be a good place to start in your job search. Often its not what you know but who you know that matters. I wish you the best.