Nurses who can't find work.

[JesusKeepMe]

Hello everyone, hope everyone is well.

Im writing this post so that I can 1. Send PM's , and 2. Because of my current situation.

So like you all, I thought there was a nursing shortage, wanted to heal the world one individual at a time, amd went through the torture of nursing school...come one, you know nursing school was HORRIBLE! Anyhow, 3 years out of school, and I cant land a decent paying job. I make less than a new grad at my current job. Ive sent out many applications, but all Ive gotten is no each time thus far. I've considered getting out of nursing as we say. Thought about working for Cerner, doing entry level consulting, marketing, real estate....but Im a nurse at heart, Ive found my identity in being an RN.

I guess my question to you nurses who are out of work, or those forced to take drastic pay cuts is this, how do you cope with being out of work? Did you get out of the profession, did you stop looking for work...I would love to hear your stories, Im sure others in the same situation would love to as well. Thanks :)

Pardon typos please...typing on a phone.

[sisterwoman]

Dear MkurphyK12, you are not seeing a mirage. Since my position in clinic was reduction in workforce November 2012, I have been AGGRESSIVELY LOOKING FOR WORK. In the spring of 2012 I obtained my MSN with a certificate in adult health education. I have no active prolonged teaching experience except for the lectures I gave to graduate school RN's in my previous position.

I went to my graduating alma mater Career Development Center to make sure my resume was tops, then I went a second time to meet with the counselor's to review the perspective interview questions that may be asked. Did all this help me find a position, NO!

I updated my MS Office computer skills through the local junior college. I completed a 8 week course in Gerontological Nursing, has this helped? I also in the Fall of 2013 took advanced physical assessment & advanced pharmacology toward and FNP. Did this help, NO. Now I am wondering if an RN refresher would help???? I was employed in a non acute care position, but this does not count as "real Nursing."

Those people who tell you to suck it up, do not understand the flooded job market with new grads, someone with 25 yrs. various experience can not find work, great references no help, if you cannot get into the door. I even dumbed the the resume, and left off the graduate degree, that did get me some job interviews.

YOu have kid's to support, rent/house payment/cost of living expenses.

The whole job market for nursing is a realty. No one should tell you differently.

[sweetmama81]

AMEN!

[sweetmama81]

Can you tell all these unemployed nurses where to get experience? Where to apply, which hospitals are hiring? I'm sure they would love to pay their dues and their bills too.

I can't tell you how many times I've gone to work and have worked short. It makes no sense to me. Employers are worried about patient satisfaction. Well guess what step 1 is to have a fully staffed floor so when those call lights go off someone is available to answer them.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

Sorry I was saying "AMEN:yes:" to this. It seems to be all about the almighty dollar and not about the right way to get high patient satisfaction scores.

[CP1983, ADN, BSN, RN]

CRNA13,

Not to be rude but I feel the same way as the "RN that never was", I guess that means I am miserable too, right? It's going to be three years by the end of December without a nursing job. I received a monthly temp job or a stint in Endoscopy last year Jan 2013 and thought that would've helped me but instead it probably just hurt my chances even more. I was told my experience was too old now. I haven't received a nursing gig since last year Jan 2013. I graduated May 2012. I am not even working in my field and I've been regretting it since. All the Nursing Jobs I applied for are always asking for experience and so far, I haven't had anyone give me a chance. I had two nursing recruiters look over my resume and was actually told that I just don't have a lot to put on it because of my lack of experience but they tried to help me as much as possible.

Your response bothers me because many nurses are not receiving offers and it has nothing to do with them giving a bad vibe or being miserable. I believe the field is definitely flooded with more nurses than actual jobs and the only reason to get a job is through a hook-up.

I also did the volunteer thing. Twice. One for a year and the other was a nursing externship. I can't afford to do that again because I have to pay back my loans.

I think I should've became a social worker since my friend has been getting offers left and right. LOL

[CP1983, ADN, BSN, RN]

Hey Jol8815,

Your situation sounds like mine; did you find anything yet?

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Hey Jol8815,

Your situation sounds like mine; did you find anything yet?

With the exception of the last couple of posts before yours, this thread is nearly a year old, and it's possible that these posters no longer visit the forums.

[CP1983, ADN, BSN, RN]

Thanks Rose_Queen; I didn't realize it was outdated.

[TiredKitten]

I'm still here. Nursing is like any other job. You have to be willing to move to where the jobs are. If you are looking in an area saturated, you're going to have a harder time. There are still jobs here. Baptist is planning to building a new hospital in the next town. So there are going to be even more jobs once it's done. Plus the newest grads that have jobs lined up for after graduation are being told there is plenty of OT opportunity with the hospitals around here being short.

Other areas out west are hiring too. I know nurses in Nevada, Montana, and other state in that area that are hiring. Just have to be willing to relocate.

[~Shrek~]

I am looking for non-hospital jobs. I am looking into rural areas. I only want a hospital job if it is day shift or close to home. I am crazy because I would rather relocate to somewhere rural to work in public health than to work in acute care, and that is the complete opposite of what most nurses are doing.

[TiredKitten]

Angelica, there are tons of non hospital jobs out there. Places like Department of Human Services hires RNs to do everything from working in the state mental hospital to investigating elderly abuse claims. I almost applied for the elderly claims until I found out it required overnight travel several times a week. Starting thinking outside the box and you'll come across a lot of RN jobs that have little to no contact with patients.

[~Shrek~]

Angelica, there are tons of non hospital jobs out there. Places like Department of Human Services hires RNs to do everything from working in the state mental hospital to investigating elderly abuse claims. I almost applied for the elderly claims until I found out it required overnight travel several times a week. Starting thinking outside the box and you'll come across a lot of RN jobs that have little to no contact with patients.

I enjoy patient contact but I don't enjoy night work or hospitals! But a job without patient contact is fine too, depending on the worn. Thank you very much! I am going to patiently search and give myself 5-11 months before going to school again!

[Leonardo Del Toro, RN]

It's hard not to dwell in negativity after so much money and energy were spent in becoming an RN. Part of that is due to the false expectation that there would be a pot of gold at the end. This is the first thing you must put behind you. Game over. Nursing have change for, as far as I'm aware for a good 10 - 15 years. Eventually there will the a gynormeous nursing shortage, but do not wait for that. Right now nursing is like any other profession. You have to work hard to get in, you have to be persistent, and creative. Think outside the box is the under statement of the year. Yes think way outside the box. Work hard and diligently and eventually you'll succeed.