New RN can't get a job

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Hello everyone,

I just happen to live in a part of the country which does NOT have a nursing shortage. It's been 4 months and I've applied to LTC and 3 hospitals. No job. I went to school to be an RN so I do not have my LPN and no healthcare experience. Anyone else having difficulty? My husband and I can't move until next May which we have made a definite decision to do so. But what in the world am I going to do until then? Has anyone had to work as a CNA just to get some experience to work as an RN?? That sounds crazy but I'm beginning to wonder. I have decent references but they're in a different career alltogether. I just never ever imagined being in this position. We have a house to finish up and so we can't move until next year. Anyway, I'm in northern MN and need some advice. Thanks

I would also recommend broadening your job search. How far are you willing to commute? Attend job fairs. Get in your car and visit nurse recruiters and HR departments in person. Try home health agencies, ambulatory care clinics, outpatient surgery clinics, and the medical department at the local jail or nearby prison. Really get out there and pound the pavement!!

Also, check-out the nursing agencies. Can you travel?

That is good adivice. When I first graduated from nursing school there were no jobs available anywhere. Anyway I did what you just recommended and ran into a nurse manager that her and I just hit it off.... long story but I just graduated from a community college on the other side of the country where her son just happen to be attending. Anyway all she could give me was part time every other weekend night shift ....within a month turned into a full time day shift position. Don't be afraid to take a part time position. Someone is always wanting a day off here and there and I had no trouble getting hours. Usually what I tell people in nursing school that it is very important to get into a hospital/LTC while in school. WOrking as a CNA helped me tremedously.... I know too late for you but for oth er nursing students out there.

Oh also a classmate of mine just sat down and started sending resumes to anyone and everyone she could think of. It paid off. Turns out she sent a resume to a surgical center that received it on the same day someone put in her notice and she loves her job.

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More great advice. Thanks everyone. I'm going to get in my car this week and just drive around with my resumes, etc. and hand em out to anyone and everyone. I'm also thinking of the commuting to the Twin Cities. The problem with that is that I have a 2 year old at home and it's usually just him and I. Dad works on the road. But if I could swing it and have grandma watch him on their weekends off that might work. Thank you everybody, hopefully something willl turn up soon.

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Well thanks everyone,

I'll take you're advice and just hit the pavement. Maybe showing up in person will make a difference. I don't really care what I get because it will be temporary anyway. Like ya'll said, a paycheck until I move is what I'm looking for. Personally, I cannot wait to move from this place. I'm near Lake Superior and the economy all around is terrible. We're targeting Arizona but I hear Texas and Cali are really looking also. We considered moving to Minneapolis/suburbs area but the cost of housing has skyrocketed. We could never afford to buy a house there now.

Yes MN is a funny place. It does seem to be who you know vs what you know to get into any hospital system here. Oh well, thanks everyone for the good advice!

Minneapolis is outrageous with their cost of living. Even Dallas is expensive by southern standards but I still felt that my money went a lot farther. Twice the size as the Twin Cities, many more job opportunities (you can actually get an internship to learn a specialty that you really want to work in rather than just taking whatever job is offered to you) and no state taxes taken out of your check.

When I lived in Dallas I worked with a lot of commuters who lived a good 100 miles outside of the city and would either get together and split hotel costs or even rent a small apartment in town to crash in for the weekends and do 3 weekend 12 hour shifts then go back to their families and nice homes with small mortgages.

I don't know any nurses in AZ but used to visit there when I had a friend who went to ASU. I can tell you that if you move to the Phoenix area you will feel right at home even though the geography/landscape seems so foreign to you because every other person I met there was from MN, WI, or the Dakotas!! A LOT of midwestern transplants there. Don't know why but they seem to love AZ.

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