One year out, still no job

Nurses New Nurse

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It's been a year since I got my license from the State of Michigan, and I haven't had any luck finding a job. I've pretty much given up on the hospitals--seeing "experience preferred" has become synonymous with "new nurse need not apply," and yet none of the nursing homes I've applied to have shown even a lick of interest in hiring me. Frankly, I've started to really give up hope. I want to be a nurse. I think I'd be really good at it. Perhaps I just have no idea how to sell myself.

My details are as follow:

I am an ADN who graduated in December 2012, and earned my Michigan RN license the following March. I do have a BA in Psychology, which helped me get into my nursing program.

I didn't work all through high school and my undergrad at the University of Michigan, so I don't have a work history or any good references. I have been volunteering every Thursday, as often as I can, at a nearby free clinic, starting last September.

I am getting a little bit of experience in history-taking by working with my father--a dermatologist--in his office, but neither of us consider it a "real" job. It's just a glorified holding pattern, something to do while I wait for my actual career to start.

I'll take pretty much any shift I can get, and as long as it is within driving of my parents' house (where I still live), I'm happy to take either part-time or per diem. Otherwise, I need full-time employment in order to move anywhere else. That is my only exception. I'd also really prefer if I didn't have to into the Emergency department or ICU, but if that is really to only option, than I suppose I have no other choice.

As for networking, I find that it's hard for me. I don't know very many people, so I have no idea what I can do in terms of networking. How does networking even work?

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Word. the end of July will be one year since I got my license and I feel like I'm out of luck!

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I am awful at "networking". It involves putting myself out there and saying "I need help" (or some variation of that) and I have not been able to to do it. I also feel as if I am bothering them. It's unreasonable of me to feel this way, yet I do. The only way to get through it, for me, is to take a deep breathe and just call or talk or whatever. Once I get going, I am okay. I just have to get past the initial anxiety.

Also, ADN is not going to get you in their hospital, unless you know someone that can bypass the powers that be and put you there. You need the BSN. You already have a BA, so you should be only RN classes away from the BSN; maybe a year on the outside. It's doable. I know the new grad programs around here will only look at new grad BSN's.

Think outside the box. I work as a private duty RN. It can be hell but there is a lot of heaven in it too. I get to really dig into the patients' issues and understand why I am doing things. My assessment skills are constantly utilized and honed. I can just look at my patients and know when something is off. My agency offered training (not much) and I started with minimal acuity patients that were relatively stable for a long time. I have worked my way to higher acuity patients, but I still turn away cases that I don't believe I can handle with the training offered. The RNs training will work with me as long as I need them.

There are also places that place RNs at schools, to substitute for RNs out on sick leave and such. Need to be able to handle asthma and allergy issues. I usually can pick up a few hours a month from that, sometimes days and weeks depending on the school year. I don't get in long enough to have to do any of the mountains of paper work School RNs have to process, but I get to work with that population which is great experience.

It's sort of out of season now, but what about immunization kiosks, or check with your area to find the agencies that support developmentally disabled homes. In my area they use RNs to supervise meds and ensure compliance; coordinate care and referrals, assessments, etc.

It's tough out there. I get very depressed sometimes and feel discouraged, but in the end tenacity wins out. Do the best you can to explore all avenues that will afford you experiences. It is in doing this that I have found that I enjoy peds much more than adults, which I would have sworn I never wanted to do during school. So, you never know.

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Can you try Ohio?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.

First, hang in there. Secondly, what places have you applied to outside of hospitals? How many applications per week have you been sending out?

Have you kept with some of your former classmates to see if they are also finding it hard to land a job. Nowadays you have to call the units directly and ask to speak to the unit manager and go from there, especially if you're not capable of relocating.

If it's possible to work on your BSN, I would do it.

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If there are no new grad jobs in your area move to an area where there are new grad jobs. Get your experience and move back to your area you'll have experience and power to decide where and when you would like to work.

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Btw. Work history is huge. I've been working since I was 16. I don't understand how people can't work. I played sports all year round and worked in the summer. In college I worked even on full time status. Working during school shows employers that you can actually hold a job.

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Why work towards your BSN? You still won't have work experience. Get a job first and have them pay for your BSN. The last thing you wan is to be 2years older with no nursing job and more debt. #realtalk

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Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.

Hashtagthisainttwitter

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Hashtagthisainttwitter

#just because your advice is subpar doesn't mean you have to get upset at my #usage

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Have you look at volunteering with the Red Cross? You may get more experience there as well. I understand the struggle!

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