Nurse recruiter

IloveSnoopy · Feb 9, 2004

OOOHhhh...I'm a "senior member" now...I hadn't even noticed that.....I feel special now....LOL...ok..sorry...just had to add that...LOL....god..I'm a weirdo...Ok..sorry.... :eek:

Zee_RN, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2004

I did hold the position of Nurse Recruiter for a short time. I started at my hospital as an RN on a med-surg floor, worked M/S for 3 years and then moved in Critical Care and worked there 3 years. Applied internally (was encouraged to do so) for a posted Nurse Recruiter position and did that for 7 months.

While I was in HR, I was encouraged to further my education (I have an ADN) but not required to.

I have to tell you I hated it. I did well at it -- brought the vacancy rate down from 14% to 5%. I, too, felt that I could make a difference. That I would be a great liaison between nursing and administration; HR in particular. And I was told by nurses and managers that I did a great job at it. But I hated it. It was fight, fight, fight the whole way. And paperwork! And miscellaneous crap. And when I questioned the CEO on a particular practice, I was told by my boss that "we don't question the CEO." So much administrative bullcrap that you have to put up with. And work around. I did it for 7 months and went back to ICU. I'd rather deal with real BM than administrative crap!

As far as those independent recruiters go, they really really bother me when they call directly into the unit and ask to speak with "any nurse" and then try to recruit them while they are at work!! I think it is the heigth of unprofessionalism.

So....I guess, personally, I don't have much encouraging to say! Sorry!

Shotzie · Feb 10, 2004

I was a nurse recruiter for a large metropolitan hospital.

I loved it!

It was fun, I traveled just enough to make it interesting but not enough to be a bother. I was part of a group of people who came up with ideas to attract, hire and keep new nurses so I got to be "creative".

I was good at the job and my nurse managers were thrilled to have me looking out for them. The biggest difference between having a nurse as a recruiter as opposed to an HR person is that a nurse will understand the dynamics of a unit and the special needs the unit has and be able to get a better match of a candidate.

I left because one day i came to work and there was my dream job about to be posted and I was would be working for a great manager. I left and took the new position and the managers all said they were sad to see me go.

Take a position as a nurse recruiter if you want to. it's not like you are locked into it for life. If you don't like it you can always go back to the hospital and you will probably enjoy the 9-5 mon-fri, no holidays schedule for as long as it lasts!

IloveSnoopy · Feb 11, 2004

Thanks to both of you guys for your honest opinions....I truly got the "good" and "bad" sides of the job. I don't know why..but it just sounds like a really neat job. I will keep my options open....thanks again to both of you..

Luv,

Snoop'

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Feb 11, 2004

Snoopy;

Go after the job you want. Afterall, the Red Devil never stopped Snoopy.