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.
Being a RN on the floor SUCKS. I hated it. I still do. I will never go back to it. But don't fret, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The beauty about nursing is that there are so many other areas (some that don't involve patient care) you can venture into that suites your personality the best. Research, explore and you will find your right fit. Just have to pay your dues and get the experience first. After my first year, I went back to school and now I'm a GI NP, loving it! "Nurse clean this poo and send a sample!"
I graduated in December and passed my boards end of March. I too am on a scholarship of 30k that requires hire within 6 months of passing boards.
Once I passed my boards thats when people became interested and interviewed me for about 4 different positions in the hospital I work at that gave me my scholarship. I DIDNT GET A OFFER TILL MAY 9.
Maybe nursing school has burnt you out and youve become negative and need a break and time for yourself. You shouldnt be so negative. As for your bf threatening to leave you thats not very supportive at all. My boyfriend was happy with me getting offered anything. As a new grad you cant be too picky or you will end up waiting a while if you are. All of the nurses I work with told me you have to get med surg or some experience before you can specialize.
Quit being so picky, negative, and tell your bf obviously he cant be positive and support you for just getting any job then he may only be interested in how it benefits him.
As someone on a scholarship very similiar to you, you need to be patient and quit being so negative.
Nursing school is one obstacle, next is actually studying and passing boards. That should be your focus right now not obsessing over a job.
I think this is not the right time for you to worry something that has not come yet, you should focus on passing your nclex first and then job. Be positive, you're very lucky to get BSN, all your hardwork will paid off and 40K will be nothing once you got a job. As far as the BF, i think you deserve someone better who will support you and will always be with you through ups and down...goodluck and congratulations!
Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
My scholarship requires that I find a job within six months of graduation. If I don't have to pay back upwards of $40,000 immediately.
I fully accept and acknowledge that I'm complaining--I know it's not the best attitude to have. It's certainly how I'm feeling, though.
Relax. Is it the nurse corps scholarship? You could get an extension if it came to that. And it won't.
The fiance stuff is a downer, But it will all work out. It's important that you marry someone who wants to live where you want to live. If moving is a deal breaker it's better to find that out now than after you've already married.
Took me 3 years of volunteering before I started getting hospital job offers. 5 scholarships, 3.99 gpa. 70+ nursing schools in a 100 mile radius will do that, and I wasn't willing to move. That said, there are plenty of rural RN jobs, nationwide.
You are giving up too quickly. You haven't even graduated yet! Once you graduate and pass the NCLEX, you may find yourself with more job options. Not everyone secures a job 2 months before graduation. My hospital isn't even interviewing yet!
As for the fiance who will leave you if he doesn't approve of your job ... Unless he is willing to pay your debts, then he needs to be supportive of you while you do whatever you need to do to pay them off yourself. If he can't do that, he is a loser and you should dump him. He is bringing you down when he should be building you up. If you want to be a nurse, then don't quit before you have even graduated. And don't stay with anyone who tears you down.
1 million times YES to above comment.
It's difficult to keep "calm" when you're under so much stress and your support network is anything but supportive.
Some cheese with that??? I graduated almost a year ago and in my graduating class of 52 there's not ONE single nurse not working that wants to work. Not one. I personally sent out four resumes when I passed the NCLEX and received three offers within two weeks with ZERO healthcare experience. So your "many, many new grads" assumption is false. Maybe take a look at your resume or polish your interviewing skills before making blanket statements. Good luck...
You need to finish school and go on you will find a job one thing I jnow after 27 years and lots of battle scars as a nurse you can always work may not be the absolut job you want right at first but you can work get in the field and then you can get where you want to be.
As far as your partner, not worth crying over he supports you or out the door, Nursing is a great profession and as with any realtionship if the position was reversed and you were supporting him as he worked on a career ask would you threaten to leave, trust and support come first and you come first
You will get a job, great profession yet very liquid some nurses stay somewhere for life many of us move around looking for the next best thing jobs are always out there.
Ok so first of all, home care probably requires more experience and assessment skills than floor nursing. We work in environments where we have to make clinical decisions and recommendations without the luxury of labs, X-rays, and co workers right down the hall. Please don't assume that all we do in home care is fill med boxes. We manage ivs, diseases, advanced drains and pumps and cardiac devices just like they do in hospital settings. Ever tried doing a wound vac on a 300lb chair bound pt without anyone to help turn, position or hold lights??? Oh and did I mention there's bugs and it's hot as hell in the home because the pt is cold so they have the heater on in Florida in July??? Welcome to home care. It ain't no picnic.
As as far as the job situation, you must be flexible. Be willing to work the night shift on the med surg unit that no one wants. Be willing to work at an ALF to get your feet wet. Be willing to work at the LTAC. You're not gonna walk into the icu/trauma center or L&D as a new grad most likely. Be sure to network and become friends with the nurse managers in the unit you work in during preceptorship. Most of my classmates were offered jobs after completing the preceptorship.
And as for the man, you should be marrying someone that is willing to understand and stand by your side. The first two years of nursing are the hardest. Hang in there and keep trying. You'll get your break. Have you though about relocating to a new city temporarily. You'll have to go where the jobs are.
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BarnabusRN
7 Posts
Being a RN on the floor SUCKS. I hated it. I still do. I will never go back to it. But don't fret, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The beauty about nursing is that there are so many other areas (some that don't involve patient care) you can venture into that suites your personality the best. Research, explore and you will find your right fit. Just have to pay your dues and get the experience first. After my first year, I went back to school and now I'm a GI NP, loving it! "Nurse clean this poo and send a sample!"