No Jobs For New Grads Despite RN Time?!

[kdawnz, MSN, NP]

I need a pep talk or moral support or something. I'm an AGACNP-BC as of December and am having a horrible time finding a job. I've been a critical care/ER nurse for 9 years, teach PALS and mock codes, charge nurse, CCRN, all the things. Went to a public and reputable university and graduated with a 4.0 GPA. I live in the West and want to be in a smaller community, which I figured would work in my favor, but I am getting nothing. I have been a little picky about location because I want to be near skiing and biking, but even drastically broadening my search area I'm still getting minimal interest. I'm hearing back from some of the places that hopital jobs it took them over a year to fill in 2018 are having 10 applicants in 2 weeks. Jobs that used to have 5 applicants have 30. WTH?! How did things get this saturated so quickly?!

I just got set up with several recruiters in the last week or so and am considering locums assignments if need be, but I'm just really frustrated. I feel like I shouldn't have wasted so much time "mastering" the nursing role and just gone to NP school quickly like most of the other people I know. I feel like my whole RN career means nothing and that I'm stuck in this weird place where no one will take me without experience but I can't get experience if no one will hire me.

Anyone have any tips or positive stories or anything?

[renzlao, MSN, APRN]

I’m sorry ? I feel the same way. I’m graduating in May and I’ve been looking at postings in my area. I spoke to one recruiter who told me one job posting currently have 80 applications!
I hope it’s going to get better for you and that you’ll find something soon.

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

I'm sorry you are struggling. Right now, hiring for healthcare professionals is very slow due to COVID-19 unless you can work in the ER or ICU. Many hospitals are half empty and are laying off or furloughing providers and nurses. There are places, like New York and some other states, that are hiring NPs to work as RNs for high pay during the COVID crisis. Hiring will pick up once this whole thing is over.

Sounds like you have good experience and also went to a reputable school. Your resume may need improvement if you are not getting any responses. I also suggest researching what areas have the biggest shortages of NPs, especially acute care NPs, and focusing your job search on those areas.

Good luck

[db2xs]

@kdawnz I can totally imagine how frustrated you feel: You spent so much time, money, and effort to become an NP and it's been so difficult to find a job in an area that you want to settle down in.

I was wondering if you have considered a residency/fellowship program elsewhere to get the experience. It may not pay a lot but it will be very invaluable in the long run. A part of me wishes I did an NP residency program when I got out of school! Just a suggestion. Good luck!

[Guest1144461]

5 hours ago, kdawnz said:

I need a pep talk or moral support or something. I'm an AGACNP-BC as of December and am having a horrible time finding a job. I've been a critical care/ER nurse for 9 years, teach PALS and mock codes, charge nurse, CCRN, all the things. Went to a public and reputable university and graduated with a 4.0 GPA. I live in the West and want to be in a smaller community, which I figured would work in my favor, but I am getting nothing. I have been a little picky about location because I want to be near skiing and biking, but even drastically broadening my search area I'm still getting minimal interest. I'm hearing back from some of the places that hopital jobs it took them over a year to fill in 2018 are having 10 applicants in 2 weeks. Jobs that used to have 5 applicants have 30. WTH?! How did things get this saturated so quickly?!

I just got set up with several recruiters in the last week or so and am considering locums assignments if need be, but I'm just really frustrated. I feel like I shouldn't have wasted so much time "mastering" the nursing role and just gone to NP school quickly like most of the other people I know. I feel like my whole RN career means nothing and that I'm stuck in this weird place where no one will take me without experience but I can't get experience if no one will hire me.

Anyone have any tips or positive stories or anything?

I am an ANCP with years of ICU experience as a RN. When comparing your role as an RN to a provider, it literally means nothing in my opinion.

The only thing RN experience gave me was comfortability when talking to patients and working in a clinical setting.

Go do an acute care residency. Yeah it sucks makes 50k for a year but the experience was worth my RN experience and ACNP school many times over. You'll get any job you want after that.

The catch is....residencies are COMPETITIVE. I remember one of my offers came from a place with 100 applicants and 2 slots...

[kdawnz, MSN, NP]

Thanks for the input! ACNP residencies aren’t really a thing where I’m at in the Intermountain west. I’ll look into it though for sure and see if I can find something like that.

It’s just weird because at the level 1 trauma hospital I used to work in we were hiring new grad PA’s all the time even as recently as 18 months ago in a specialty ICU. In my clinical rotations I spent most of my hours in the medical ICU and was taking 5-7 patients independently with notes and orders by the end of clinicals. I was pretty good at central lines, thoracentesis, and was able to get a handful of intubations. Of course more training never hurt anyone and I have so much to learn, but I am not years away from being able to contribute in any sort of meaningful way.

[babyNP., APRN]

I agree with the Covid-19 crisis slowing everything down- there's a good amount of "elective" medicine, especially in the form of surgeries. This affects NPs/PAs that work for a surgery practice (I know of one where they had to lay off all of their NPs/PAs), CRNAs in a hospital, etc etc.

Hope you get something soon- but I would probably cast my net much wider. I know you said you were picky about location, but getting that first year or two of experience is critical for future hiring practices. I lived in a location that was not that pleasing to me (weather was too hot) but the experience I gained was invaluable and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

1). Acute care NPs have generally less chances in "small communities". Small hospitals do not need many of them, and those which do frequently prefer PAs.

2). Hiring is down everywhere now. Whatever media are yelling about, ERs and floors have overall lover censuses due to most elective surgeries and procedures cancelled and people plain simple afraid to go to acute care. Everything else is at halt, therefore there is no hiring. SNF sector suffering especially because SNFs halted personal visits.

3). Whatever you did and achieved as a RN doesn't matter for your present condition. CCRN, X+1 years at bedside, etc., - unless you are coming back to the same place where you were working as an RN and docs know you in person, you're going to start from point "1".

4). On top of possibly moving:

- if you were friendly with any docs at your previous job, contact them, they may know someone who needs help

- urgent care centers are open, although you might be disqualified from them as you are adult/gero

- LTACHs (Select, Kindred) will get an immence flush of vented patients soon

- if nothing else and you have temerity to do that: temporary assignment in states heavily affected with COVID. Your past ICU job will be in your favor and at least NY dropped license requirements for now. It will be something to begin with.

[YG FNP, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

I’m in the same boat. Finished in December, passed boards in January, and started looking in February. I’m FNP and really getting depressed about this. Coming from the ER, there are jobs for the me as an RN, but nothing for me as a new graduate NP. I am waiting to hear back from a residency to see if I made it, but I have no other prospects at this time. May have to move to get m first year out of the way, I’m just not willing to give up completely on my dream- covid or no covid. Hope my marriage can survive this!

good luck?

[kdawnz, MSN, NP]

Thanks for the tips guys! Part 2 of my question: I’m willing to cast a wider net if need be, but I’ve typically been a person who sticks in the same place for a long time. Last job I was at for 11 years. I feel really weird moving somewhere, going through the lengthy credentialing process, getting trained, and then leaving after a year or two. I guess that’s why I’ve been somewhat picky about location. I don’t think that my husband or I have the mental fortitude to spend 5 years somewhere without access to the things in the outdoors that bring us joy. We can suck it up for a short time, but as I said, I feel guilty even considering doing that to a prospective employer. Is that just the norm and I’m being a baby about it?

My husband and I have also considered having me just go work as a nurse in a desired place so that I can network and hopefully gain an in, especially in a smaller community. I have mixed feelings about this. It seems risky, but may pay off. Like you said, lots of people get jobs by word of mouth.

My old job was not a good fit for me as an NP. I may come to deeply regret passing up the opportunity that I had there, but it had become a toxic environment and I really don’t think it would have been a safe space to be a new grad even though I spent 11 years with the group as an RN. Lots of change over the last 18 months so I chose to walk away. Very sad.

[umbdude, MSN, APRN]

Sorry to hear. This is a terrible time for new grad NPs with the whole crisis going on. I'm graduating within a month and applied to many Psych NP jobs, but so far it's been radio silence.

Fortunately my SO still works and can work online, and our mortgage is pretty low. So it's possible to move if need be.

Hang in there and keep plugging away.

[kdawnz, MSN, NP]

Agree, and good luck to you too! I think I need to not get too worked up until things with Covid start to get somewhat under control... I applied for a PRN ICU RN job near me and haven’t even heard back on that either. Low census and other things are definitely a huge contributor.