New Nurse Grad Blues.... : (

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Graduated in 2012 with an Associate Nursing degree from a well respected, accredited community college. Already had a bachelor's degree from state university in another field prior to going to nursing school. Upon graduation I took and passed NCLEX first attempt. I am a Florida RN now. MONTHS of applications to everyone and everything under the sun and not even one interview yet! I understand that I don't have a BSN. I understand that I have no experience yet. But how do I get experience? What is going on? Is anyone else out there experiencing no jobs because of lack of experience? Should I take the CNA exam and try to work as a CNA? Is it legal to apply for CNA positions? Who hires new grad RNs??????????????????????????????????? Do I just sit on my thumbs and spends day after day applying? What happens if it is a year or more after I am out of school? Am I not considered new graduate any more? Will I have "aged out"? Frustrated as hell!

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Specializes in ED, trauma.

Try moving around if possible. Rural areas are more likely to hire new grads because they need staff. Metropolitan areas and towns often have their pick of BSN grads, and even then, BSN grads with CNA experience are having difficulty finding new grad positions.

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I have been searching the outlying county and community hospitals and clinics and have been applying in GA, FL, AL, and SC.... Does anyone know if an RN can apply for a CNA position and work as a CNA and get paid as a CNA? There's just no jobs out there for new nurse grads are there? sighhh :(

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Specializes in ED, trauma.
I have been searching the outlying county and community hospitals and clinics and have been applying in GA FL, AL, and SC.... Does anyone know if an RN can apply for a CNA position and work as a CNA and get paid as a CNA? There's just no jobs out there for new nurse grads are there? sighhh :([/quote']

It varies depending on the state but once you hold the RN license, it is typically not possible to work as a CNA.

Try Nemours Children's Hospital. Their new grad program is opening soon.

Try Florida Hospital. There are programs in central Florifa, Tampa, and the Heartland area (Sebring, Lake Placid, Wauchula).

Try Jackson Memorial. Try Baycare. Try Baptist. Try St Pete.

Try nursing homes that you did clinical rotations at.

Have you applied to each and every possible facility within the state of Florida? Try dialysis centers. Try home health. Try staffing agencies. Try hospice. Do SOMETHING. Just get your foot in the door and network.

Some new grads are putting out THOUSANDS of applications before even getting an interview, and hundreds after that to land a job. It's a tough market for new grads, so definitely try enrolling in an RN-BSN program.

Most facility hiring managers love to see a male applicant because it broadens their applicant pool and provides a well rounded pool for nurse managers to select from. I have to wonder if there is something wrong with the college you went to not being accredited by the proper accrediting boards. Or perhaps your background check? Is your license restricted? Is there any kind of special requirement you need to perform your duties? While companies cannot LEGALLY deny you for these reasons, they may still be biased against you.

As for applying out of state, do you hold a license in the other states as well as some address for those states? Many facilities prefer to see this things prior to you applying. That can be a key factor in their decision process as well.

Good luck.

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Specializes in ED, trauma.
Graduated in 2012 with an Associate Nursing degree from a well respected accredited community college. Already had a bachelor's degree from state university in another field prior to going to nursing school. Upon graduation I took and passed NCLEX first attempt. I am a Florida RN now. MONTHS of applications to everyone and everything under the sun and not even one interview yet! I understand that I don't have a BSN. [/quote']

As far as you holding a Bachelors in another field. Check that at the door. It means nothing to hiring managers except you are capable of obtaining a Bachelors and chose not to pursue one in nursing. Definitely put it on your résumé, but don't feel entitled by it.

So you passed NCLEX on the first attempt. Was it 75 questions too? So has every other nurse I have ever spoken too during clinical rotations. They said the managers who interviewed them only wanted to know when they passed." The exam.

You have been applying for months. Try 1-2 years as some new grads are experiencing. It hasn't been that bad in Florida, from what I have heard the Orlando area is 6-8 months prior to first job. But there aren't a lot of interviews going on before that 6-8 month period.

In California it's as long as 4 years at this point. Some new grads are having to take an RN refresher course after school, no experience, and taking the course in hopes to be competitive again for new grad positions.

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Hello, I just graduate in December. I came to Florida from Texas and at the beginnng it was very hard to get interviews.But eventually I became more aggressive by following up with my applications. Eventually, recently landing a job after over 160 applications. What I'm saying is don't give up. Have you. applieLakelandd on usajobs.com they have positions available in tampa, leesburg, and several others in florida. How about long term acute care hospitals they are willing to hire new grads, try promise hospital. Are you checking hospital websites, sometimes search engines like indeed.com don't have positions posted that are in the hospital website. Davita gives opportunities to new grads as well as Lakeland. Sorry for the punctuation typing from my phone.

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Thanks CP2013!

Thankfully I graduated from a fully accredited college that is well thought of. My background is squeaky clean and so is my license. I am physically fit and can do anything physically necessary. I would agree to work for free if I could just get some experience!!

I guess I'm just here to vent. Thanks for responses and advise everyone! Good luck to all of us...my nurse peeps!~!

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Thanks for the response jromero5. I'm in Jacksonville but I am looking further out as well. I like reading responses similar to yours. I'm definitely not giving up either. Inspires me.

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Shands at the University of Florida is very new grad friendly. Look into it. Many of the intensive care units will even hire new grads. Put in your application early because there is a lot of competition from UF and Santa Fe graduates. I Had to move to Gainesville from South Florida...you have to do whatever you need to in order to get your foot in the door.

Good luck to you. I have been in your shoes. But the right opportunity will present itself. Have faith!

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Specializes in Emergency.

I just started at Florida Hospital Heartland Division. They have 3 hospitals in the Sebring/Lake Placid area, and are very new grad friendly. They don't post a new grad or residency position. You just apply to the regular RN positions. They use the same orientation/training program that the Orlando division uses.

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Hi! Just a FYI, Baycare which is one of the best hospital systems is hiring New Grad Rn's in the Tampa Bay Area. They currently have 3 New grad positions open. The hospital that is hiring is called St. Anthony's which is part of the Baycare system. Good Luck!

I work for them that's how i know.

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Try calling local nursing homes or rehab centers in your area. Don't give up! PSA healthcare hires new grads a lot ...your first nursing job is not what you may like but it's what you will need until something better comes along

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