Nursing Career - I stuffed up.

[Chimera]

Hi all,

Just doing some soul searching and thought I would ask all you wonderful collegues out there for some advice.

I am a RN in my 3rd year out of Uni in Australia. I completed my postgrad in Sydney at RPA (major tertiary and referral hospital) and worked in 3 wards whislt I was there - Gynae Onc, Cardiology and Upper GIT. I got accepted for a position in Emergency but there was a deley between when I finished on my last ward before starting it and decided that I wanted to return home (home is in QLD) as I missed my family. I applied for a job in Paeds Emergency in Brisane but I didn't get it as they felt I didn't have enough paeds exp. Upon return I did the job search thing and got (what I thought at the time) a good job with heaps of benefits at a local boarding school as a school nurse to try and get that bit of exp.

So anyways to cut a long story I have done my time at the boarding school - not only am I bored and not very challenged but because its an exclusive private boarding school it tends to have a lot of bureaucratic nonsense that I seem to keep getting caught in the middle of.

So I applied for job in adult emergency in Brisbane - from which I got told that I was being recommended for the position - only to find out after 4 weeks of waiting that I didn't have enough actue experience (even though the position i applied for was a transition program). Plus my references were a problem for them - they wanted a reference that was less than 12months old from RPA which I hadn't worked at for over 12months?! That and they rang one of my previous wards without asking me but fortunately they told em to stick it. I also started a Grad Cert in Critical Care.

So gathering myself up I sought some advice from my next door neighbour - a nurse manager at a local private hospital - whom informed me that they were terribly short staffed in Paeds, ICU and emergency and that I should have no problem getting a job. Spoke to the person at the hospital whom said they would like to place me in emergency. I had an interview yesterday which was probably one of the most mediocre interviews I have ever had (that and I had brainmushitis) in which the comment upon me leaving was 'thanks for your interest' - doesn't sound too promising. They commented on how I had been out of nursing (? I haven't been working at McDonalds or something) for 12 months and that had I thought about how hard it was going to be to get back into it. I had thought about that and for the most part I think I would settle back in pretty fast while learning they new skills for the area. They also seemed to think my volunteer pre-hospital work is of no value. Anyways I find out about it after the weekend.

So as of today I am feeling quite dejected and angry at the system. There are nursing shortages left, right and centre and yet can't give a suitably qualified person a job. I realise now that I made a huge mistake taking the job I am in now but I am trying to retify it before I do truly get "out of practice". I am eager and keen to work, look after patients and learn everthing I can so why isn't that and the experience I already have enough? If I don't get this job I am at a lost as to what I should try and go for next... Or have I crashed and burned my career.

Its becoming kind of absurd.

Opinions please?

Cara:uhoh21:

[Pearlgirl]

Hello Cara,

Take this experience in the boarding school and produce numbers according to your accomplishments. For example, are these young people considering medical careers? You must have the same shortages as we do in the states. Can you positively influence some of the students to investigate the personal recognition and pay they would receive by becoming a nurse?

During this time, keep your eye on exactly what you want and if possible, ask for a paid internship? Another Volunteer Position to network and get to know what things are like at your place of interest.

What is next in your upward route of the educational process? Are you looking at a Master's Degree, or to become a Nurse Practitioner? Your area study that you choose, would be a shot in the arm to co-study by working on that floor. I would say that would be a GREAT reason to hire someone like you to that specific discipline. Having a detailed, plan complete with goals, facts and figures of measured accomplishments will sell you. One such accomplishment could be writing a health and safety newsletter, which talks about young womens' new option of receiving an HPV vaccination. Another topic could cover young people's volunteering in a hospital. It would be prudent of them to understand the various types of contact isolation. Just being involved in MANY organizations while you are doing this job, will liven up the boredom, and who knows, it may lead you to the right person or place.

Best Wishes,

Pearl