I am graduating in two months. It took me seven years from the moment I decided to become a nurse to when I started my BSN program. I thought I did everything right. Graduating Summa Cum Laude. Volunteering at every opportunity. Years of job experience in healthcare. Networking. But, I am getting turned down for every job I apply to.
The best advice I could give anyone is not to pursue a career in nursing. I thought I was going to be an awesome nurse. I have the passion, the drive, the compassion, the dedication, the hard work--but that doesn't matter. If you don't have two years experience you can't even get your foot in the door. No one will take you.
I got one job interview but I flunked the "describe a situation where..." questions. The biggest employer in my area requires an electronic "talent" test and if you don't get the right algorithm your application doesn't even make it past HR, so it doesn't matter how hard you work. I regret the moment of "clarity" when I thought nursing was the right thing to do. Me, and thousands and thousands of other naive people who think they're actually going to make a difference in the world.
This is probably the lowest point in my life, and I've been through a lot. I thought I'd finally "made it". I thought I'd pulled myself up by my bootstraps. But I don't see any way out, now. I'm in debt and can't get a job, and neither can many, many other new graduates.
You sound very discouraged but I don't buy the lack of jobs. Every I worked they loved new nurses! You may have to submit a lot of resumes but you will find something! I worked in a nursing home for years and loved it! (I was never going to be a nursing home nurse) I also worked in corrections and I loved it! Good luck in your search. I think eventually you will come to appreciate your nursing degree! I hope so!
Soooooo, I've been a nurse for 8 years. Four in a PCU environment, four in a burn intensive care unit. I live in Georgia, in July we move to Virginia. My Virginia license is pending. I have applied to 6 jobs in Virginia, only one out of the 6 has responded with interest in an interview. Why? Because I don't have a license to work in that state yet. It was the same deal when I was moving from SC to GA. My license was pending when i began applying, only had 1 job offer out of multiple applications. When you have a license, you will have job offers. And you do get preference for having government scholarships. But only for government jobs. The VA has a program called Eagles, i think, where they will hire you as a senior in a nursing program without a license and pay you an RN salary while you intern. You could commission as an officer for the US Army. I did, and their sign on bonus was 50k. I had to run a twenty minute two mile and do 17 push ups, but my student loans got repaid, i have excellent health insurance, and retirement. Be resilient, the challenges will only increase
Don't worry yet. Have you tried Skilled Nursing Facilities? I know I prefer hiring new grads because they don't come with the bad habits and attitudes of a lot of older nurses. Other DONs I know feel the same way. We also know you aren't planning on making a career with us. Usually 1-2 years. I'm very proud of my new grads who went on to work ER and ICU. They learned time management and basic skills with us so they had a solid foundation to work with. Just find a facility that has managers that are supportive. As far as your personal life only you should be looking at that. I wish you all the best and hope you come back to update us.
I am a new grad in CA, let alone in the San Francisco area and it is extremely difficult to get a job in this area...especially as a new grad, but it happened for me and it can happen for you. Attitude is everything and you need to really be confident and optimistic it'll all work out. Putting undue stress on you about finding a job before actually passing your NCLEX will ultimately destroy your chances of 1) passing the NCLEX and 2) getting a job. The NCLEX should be your primary worry for yourself right now. It is a difficult test, meant to challenge you and all your time and energy should be put into preparing to pass it with flying colors.
ALL student loans and grants/scholarships require you to make some kind of a payment in 6 months after graduation, FOR ANY DEGREE. So it's not just nursing that has sucked you into this god forsaken situation. The worst case scenario is they want you to pay it all at once? Well, that's not going to happen and the company will work with you to try and either make out a repayment plan or something. They won't just say, "Oh well, we'll just lose out on $40k..." Trust me, they'll work with the situation because something for them in a financial standpoint is better than nothing.
For now, focus on graduation, enjoy the last couple of months left of your college career and hit the books to study for the NCLEX and sporadically through all that, apply for nursing residencies. You think you're stressed now? Just wait, first year out of school and in the field is where the stress and real challenge comes. It's all new and now you have people relying on you for your care, all while being brand spankin new to it all. I wish you luck, keep your head up, remember why you got into nursing in the first place and biggest thing, remain confident. You know you have it in you, don't just give up.
I just graduated and I work in an ICU. It felt like I wasnt going to find a job either but it happened eventually. If you're going to quit that quickly than you should go do something else. Actually being a nurse is much harder and more stressful than finding a job.
If living in the middle of nowhere will end your relationship than you need to be happy when it ends! Better to find out sooner rather than later that your relationship will not stand the test of LIFE and time! You need to find a life partner than will stick my your side through thick and thin! Illness and disability, unemployment, children etc. You don't want to waste your precious time and energy with someone who is self-centered and only wants you in his life when things are easy and joyful! You will live the rest of your life feeling insecure and scared he'll leave you. Life only gets harder as you get older! A good partner is someone who supports you and helps you through difficult times. NOT someone who adds to your stress when you're already stressed out! Don't worry! Focus your energy and attention on your career. Take it one step at a time. First pass school. Then pass the NCLEX. Then get really serious and determined about getting a job. And take the job that is the best fit for your interests and talents, REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT IS LOCATED! You can move where you want to live long term later. If he bails on you - his loss!!! NOT YOUR LOSS FOR SURE! Hang in there and take it one step at a time.
I'm sorry but NO. Get over the negativity and your hardship and move on to look for a job elsewhere. You are discouraging new nurses for no reason. Graduated December of 2014 and had a job lined up before I left school. I'd say 90% of my class had jobs within a month of passing NCLEX. Not even that but within 10 months of having my license I had 2 other offers I could have accepted but passed on to wait for the job I really wanted and within a year of having my license I had it. All of this with no prior experience in healthcare before going to school for my BSN. I'm not the only one either, I could list 10 people off the top of my head hat I know personally with stories just like mine working in various fields, in various areas around the state of Illinois.
Please be proud of your achievement. Be patient. Pass your licensing exam. Then think outside the box. Try nursing homes, try clinics, try veteran's services. If you cannot find a job, consider working as a patient care assistant, it gives you a foot in the door. Go back to school for your BSN. Don't throw in the towel. Nursing is a great job. I have been able to change my shift to accommodate my family's needs. I have been trained by the hospital to change my job to a different field of nursing. Job seeking is hard in all fields. Be positive and keep looking.
Oh my dear, there are so many different nursing jobs out there and you might have to start at the bottom and work your way up. Long term care is always looking for night nurses and really, most of the time they only require a license and a pulse. Once you have your feet under you, you can move on with some experience under your belt. Check out your local health department, local schools and even some of the large warehouse employers might have a nurse on duty. Prisons and local jails are also a possibility if you can look and be tough, lol. Do not, and I repeat, do not give up. If you can throw in the towel now, you will have serious issues once you are employed. Nurses , especially the more weathered ones, can be gruff and appear unapproachable but I find that they melt and can become great mentors if you show them that your not afraid to get your hands dirty. Hang in and work hard and the jobs will come. I've been a nurse for 22 years now and I just can't envision me doing anything else.
I graduated as an LPN 2yrs ago and yes it's hard finding a job, but even taking the undesirable jobs gives you experience to help get you where you want to be. What future employers want to see is that you're not afraid to work hard. No one is going to hand everything to you in a silver platter and if you're no willing to put in the hard work to climb the ladder, maybe nursing isn't where you should be!! I had hoped to get a BSN, but due to family, I had to take the long way round. One day, I'll be a RN and I know when I am, I'm going to be the best nurse I can be because of the hard work I put in to get there!!
I hear your worries and frustrations. It took me 4 months post graduation to find a job in a state with a severe nursing shortage. I was also the recipient of the HRSA scholarship. I'm guessing that's the one you are talking about. There are MANY more sites than their website tells you there are that qualify. I have an amazing job in the specialty I wanted and I work in a beautiful hospital in Salt Lake City and it met the requirements of the scholarship. Let me know if you would like some guidance regarding the scholarship stuff.
gigi_rn
33 Posts
Sounds like your fiance feels threatened. Surely he doesn't want such a large debt hanging over your heads!
Take the opportunity to explore a new part of the country...the time will fly by.