cracksbacks

in NY we had two hospitals close last year and it flooded the market with experienced RNs. It made things more tough than it already was. Combine that with a bad economy and you have a tight market.

I am a newly licensed RN with an ASN degree. I also happen to be a chiropractor with 10 years of experience in my field. But the fact is I still have only an associates and no experience. There is your ace in the hole. At this point, most of the hospitals I have checked with have told me that they are looking for BSNs. Associates nurses reduce the ratio of BSN to ASN, which has a negative affect on the hospital attaining magnet status. I am not too sure what this means, but I had a good conversation with a recruiter at a hospital and she told me that it is an issue. Another problem I have had is using recruiters. Again, they are looking for experience. Look at careerbuilder and monster and get your name out there. I am sure you will get something. Good luck, and I hope you don't get the job that was meant for me

I passed my NCLEX in September. I have been looking with not even an interview so far. Fortunately I have a career as a chiropractor to fall back on but it is very frustrating that all the work I put in to get my RN degree has been for naught thus far.

I passed my NCLEX-RN in september. I have an AS from Excelsior and I am a Chiropractor with 10 years of clinical experience, with some OR experience thrown in there. I was under the assumption that as a male nurse with patient care experience, I should have no problems finding work. That has not been the case. I have gone through hospital web pages, gone into hospitals to meet the recruiters face to face, faxed and mailed every recruiter in hospitals I could get contact info for, I have milked every contact I have in health care that I have cultivated over the past decade. I have pestered and I have been persistent. All while continuing my full time job as a chiropractor which will be scaled back once I can do three shifts a week as an RN in any hospital that would give me the chance. The problem is no one seems to be giving me a chance. I am running into issues with experience, or lack thereof, as well as the fact that I do not have a BSN. With 4 years of chiropractic education under my belt (which, believe me, is VERY difficult and I would compare it to any other health care provider's doctoral program), as well as a BA in biology, I would have thought that would counteract the fact that my degree is an ASN. Coupled with my experience in spinal care (which is extensive) as well as my experience in ambulatory surgical situations (I am a certified practitioner of manipulation under anesthesia), I think I come off as an excellent addition to a hospital staff, potentially in orthopedics or in the OR. At this point, however, I am willing to take anything. I am the proverbial uncarved stone awaiting training. Does anyone have advice? This situation is only becoming more stressful and demoralizing by the day. I am fortunate to be working full time and my practice is relatively busy for now. But after all the hard work I have put in, it is time I began to continue my career path in a hospital. Ultimately i envision ways to intertwine my two professions and help people in pain. In order to get my vision realized, I need to get into a hospital, get trained and begin my RN career now. I feel that every day post licensure that I do not work as a nurse makes it more difficult to get hired. I will work in any borough at this point, as well as in Nassau and Suffolk counties. I have no problem with commuting. I just want a chance. If anyone out there can help me with contact information in hospitals so I can continue to get my name and CV out there, I would appreciate it. I recently found the NYCHHC web site and got my info mailed to all the recruiters listed there. of course I did an electronic application, but I do that every few weeks and I doubt it does much good. If there is a database i could use to set up a mailing campaign to ass many hospitals as possible, it would be very helpful. Thank you all in advance. This board has been a wonderful resource for me so far.

I did it while working full time. Keep in mind, I am a chiropractor. I have plenty of science courses in my prior educational experiences. I received my nursing degree from Excelsior College, which is a distance learning program. I needed only a CLEP in developmental psychology in addition to the Nursing Concepts courses. It took 7 exams, the CLEP and a clinical evaluation (CPNE). The CPNE took three tries to get it right, but I did it. Two and a half years to complete the concepts exams, another year to get the clinical finished and a few months for the CLEP. After I got my AS last December it took me till September 8 to take my NCLEX, which I passed on my first try (266 questions UGH). The bottom line is it is possible to get your degree while working full time. You may need to do it via a distance learning program and it will take some time. But you can do it. I did. Now I just have to find a job which is another beast onto itself. Good luck to you, keep a positive outlook.

I am in the same boat as you. I graduated from Excelsior College with an AS last December. I am a chiropractor with ten years clinical experience and I am looking for my first RN position in the NYC area. I only just took and passed my NCLEX. Working full time close to 50 hours a week in my practice made it difficult to really hunker down and take the exam, but I spent my summer working towards taking the NCLEX and I passed on the first try. It is tough, but I am hopeful that SOMETHING will come together soon. Fortunately I have friends and colleagues in hospitals who may be of help in getting me employed. Plus I still have my chiropractic practice to keep my busy (and paid) while I am searching for RN work. I know what I am up against, having been trained via a distance learning program, but I am confident that we will both end up hired. Good luck sir, only the best for all of us.