New RN, foreign graduate, no experience

[sabbywabby]

Hi guys;) I was just wondering if anyone of you could help me with my concerns. I am 20 years old and a new RN from Illinois. I graduated BSN in the Philippines last March 2012 and right now, I just got my Illinois RN license in the mail. I'm just so annoyed because I've been searching and searching for hospitals in Illinois that would accept new graduates and I always end up devastated. All hospitals require at least 1 year experience in every job they post. As all of you know, most hospitals do not accept paper applications anymore so you just have to apply online. Some hospital websites wouldn't even accept your online application if you leave the "work experience" field blank. I also found some hospitals with a new graduate program but they require transcripts from your nursing school, reference forms from previous clinical instructors, etc. As a RN who graduated in the Philippines, it's kinda hard for me to have access to that. It's not like Philippines is right around the corner. What am I supposed to do? How am i supposed to get a job in a hospital? Some of you might say I should apply to a nursing home first and then apply again to a hospital when I gain experience but is there any other way besides this? Do you know any hospital in Illinois (preferably near Skokie) that accepts new grads (without needing to show transcripts from school, etc). I desperately wanna work as soon as possible because i'm so tired of asking my parents for allowance. Thanks so much for all your help.

[nurse_ros3]

Unfortunately there's no way around those requirements. I'm not foreign Nurse graduate but I can understand what you're going through. I heard a lot of stories like yours. I didn't get a job right away when I got my license. I had to acquire jobs within the health care field just to get my feet wet. Luckily it paid off. My advice to you is to contact your professors via e-mail. Hospitals accept letter of recommendations that are electronic file. Also, get your transcript and possibly have them evaluated. As of the mean time you're doing this, acquire job such as medication tech, caregiver, CNA, phlebotomist etc. (anything related to health care). Since you from the Philippines, I'm assuming you don't have work experience (that's very important here). I'm also Filipino but raised here; so, I know the culture and expectations in the Philippines as a college student. You also need to create a resume. Another thing, to be competitive, you would have to acquire your BLS, ACLS for starters, PALS if you're targeting ED. Best of luck, I hope you don't get discourage. A lot of new nurses are experiencing same situation like yours.

[Blue Cat]

Try Northshore University Health System Leading Medical Offices and Hospitals in Chicago | NorthShore

If it's a matter of needing your transcripts from your school I would suggest requesting those asap so that you will have them when needed. It sounds like you are facing the same challenges as those of us who graduated from nursing schools in the U.S., and do have prior work experience. I live in Illinois and know how difficult it is to get an interview. I've applied to what feels like hundreds of positions and have yet to get an interview. Experience is what they want and without that I believe my application/resume gets tossed in the trash. There are several hospitals close to Skokie within the northshore network, so hopefully you will find something.

Blue