Officially giving up

[CuddleFox]

Is there anything I can do with this nursing degree besides nursing or teaching in nursing?

It's been 18 months and NO ONE will hire me. I've looked out of state, internationally, even tried to volunteer and I can't !&*^@*$ win. I had a position offered to me then retracted because the manager decided to change the "new grad" position to someone with experience. Every other interview I go on, I always get to the final interview and then told I didn't get it for some BS reason.

I spoke to a nursing recruiter and told me that I was basically screwed. Mostly because I've been out of school for so long and refresher courses are reserved for those who have had experience but have been out for other reasons. A second recruiter told me to find a new dream.

This is my second degree, the first is in biology, I have no clinical experience other than what I did in school but my resume is still impressive. I can't believe I wasted three years of of life getting my BSN all for nothing.

[RN that never was]

Last I checked, 16 month RN programs were running $80K+. You better ALREADY have a foot in a door somewhere. I would not invest a dime into nursing right now unless I was already working on a nursing floor as a tech/CNA etc... and had an in with a RN manager. It is just too much risk.

[Dranger]

I feel the OP though, it's pretty hard times out there. If I had to do it again I would have gone into engineering or accounting. Oddly enough there are WAAAAAY more entry-level positions available in these areas and every engineering grad I know is getting picked up for 65K+ at the very least starting.

Many people were duped to go into nursing because of the intense push by the media as the land of opportunity only to be shut away by employers for being a nasty new grad or ridiculed by nursing purists who still think you need a "calling" to be in the profession.

I feel ya OP, if you can't get anything and still want to give another shot at school, try the areas I mentioned above.

Or jeez tech school like radiology or ultrasound pay more than RNs in my area as do basic mechanics....Two years or less? Not a bad option IMO

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

Hospitals in Eastern Long Island were taking new grads this summer and last in droves.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Ok, here's a weird thought. Apply for substitute teaching at your local schools. Even as the substitute nurse. Every school system in the radius of which you live. Your biology degree is something that you can use.

I know you said you don't want to teach nursing, but how about teaching science as a sub? Or even sub for the school nurse when she is out?

Then there's the option of camp nursing in the summer...

[LPN2BSNRN]

I noted that it was my school work experience.. not that it was an employer.. I clearly noted that it was my clinicals. I did not indicate that I was employed by the hospital that I was doing my clinicals in.

Work Experience does not have to be paid.

[shouldI]

Last I checked, 16 month RN programs were running $80K+. You better ALREADY have a foot in a door somewhere. I would not invest a dime into nursing right now unless I was already working on a nursing floor as a tech/CNA etc... and had an in with a RN manager. It is just too much risk.

I think it depends on where you live. The program I am looking at will cost me less than $30,000.

[hope3456, ASN, RN]

Back when there was a "shortage" (9 years ago)- I got tuition reimbursement from my employer while working as a CNA. The good old days, lol. I would not have done it otherwise.

From what I have heard, some of the more expensive, private schools are the most sketchy With poor clinical placement, inexperienced teachers, ect.

[RN that never was]

30,000eh? I would not do it.

[Marsha238612]

Read this thread last night before going to sleep and guess what?! I had a nightmare about not finding a job after graduation, submitted 300 apps and no job. I woke up so distraught.

I hope by the time I graduate the employment stats gets better for new grads

All I can do is pray that it does :/

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

[MandieeRN]

When I was a new LPN.. I put my clinical experience under work experience just as if I had worked there.. It worked.. I got a job at an Assisted Living and PRN on Medical Surgical Unit. Try that.. Sometimes they forget that you have experience which you gain in your clinical settings.

I did this too. I was called for many interviews and was offered many jobs. It took me one month to find a job as new grad.

[LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN]

I feel for you, and I can only tell you about the steps I took to get a job.

I graduated 3.5 years ago and it took me 9 months to find a full time job.

I made looking for a job a full time job, I knew that on Friday is when the hosptials in my area posted new positions, that they only take the first 30 applicants so I stayed up until midnight when the jobs would go live so I could be the first to apply

I went back to my schools career department and had them re-work my resume to make it stand out.

I took any job I could get

My first job was flu shot clinics, then I got hired on to do peds home health, granted they hired me because I was an ED tech and they felt I would be ok, but I really dont reccoment home health for new grads.

I then got a list of all the SNF/LTC/ and assisted livings in my area up to 1 hour away and even though they said apply online, I drove to everyone to apply in person.

I eventually got a bite and was hired into a SNF, about 5 months in I started my job search again, because I was misreable, turn over was crazy in that place, but it was expereince.

I ened up working for that company for 11 months, during that I time I began to work on my BSN, because I live in an area that all the hospitals state they want BSN only by 2018.

I then got hired to work in a pediatric LTC, which is part of a large hospital chain, I had applied for over 250 jobs within that system before I got the peds LTC interview. I was offered on-call which after 3 months turned into full time.

I stayed for a year before I began my search for my "dream job" I was happy where I was in the peds LTC and could see myself there for 30 years and I still remain PRN at the facility.

It took another year and completetion of my BSN before I got my interview for my "dream job", again I was offered on-call, but in the middle of my orientation was offered full time. And I am now acute care pediatrics.

[Little Panda RN, ASN, RN]

If you are willing to relocate check out Williston North Dakota. I hear Mercy Hospital (I think that's the name) is hiring all the time due to the oil boom out that way. I am not sure what wages are like and I hear housing can be hard to find but doesn't hurt to check it out.