PWMOOSE

I did travel nursing in the OR for about 6 months at Dartmouth Hitchcock in New Hampshire. It was the best 6 months of my life. I really enjoyed seeing the state as well as meeting new friends at the facility. I went through Clinical One which I don't think is in business anymore. I made sure to thoroughly check out the company and ask other nurses I knew about them. They put me in a very safe place about 5 minutes from the hospital. The staff was glad to see me as they needed help and were eager to get me on board. I got about three days training. It can be a very exciting time, just make sure you know all the particulars you need to know before accepting the position. The only bad part was I had to leave my hubby at home. He was Ok with me traveling as long as it was close to enough he could come visit every few weeks to make sure I was doing OK.

It can be an awful thing to have so much experience and not be able to find a good job. I was an OR nurse for 15 years, and then I had a neck issue that severely messed up my left arm. I can no longer do patient care. I have two Masters Degrees in Nursing and Health Care Administration plus I am a published author. One year I kept count, I applied for at least 175 jobs, I had maybe three or four interviews. When I would ask if it was my resume, they said I just wasn't what they were looking for at the time. I never mentioned my health issues. I am depressed like you thinking I went to school to get a better education to get ahead, and now I can't even pay back my loans hardly because I have had to take an education job that pays about $5 an hour with the amount of time I work. I was used to making about seven times that. It has been a hard transition because you feel like the occupation you gave everything to no longer wants you. I am pursuing all avenues, but I haven't had any luck either. I don't know if it is the economy or people just don't want to hire people like me. I am overqualified for most entry level positions, so I am out of luck anyway I go. Long story short (too late): I wish you the best and hope you find something. I have my teaching position but I would really like something else as it drives me mad. You can't have everything, I am thankful I have something, but it is not what I want. Like you, I will have to keep looking and hoping that somebody will see the value that I am as a nurse and a person.

Silverbat, Thanks so much, I will definitely look into it.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I appreciate the suggestion,,,,,,,,,,,,,Susan

Silverbat, Thanks for the suggestions. I could go on to NP school, however I just finished 2 Masters degrees so I am done with school for a while. These are in Nursing and Health Care Admin,,,,,,,,I have tried to do education but because of my left sided weakness cannot do any kind of patient care. When you teach nursing students, you usually have to take them to clinical too which I cannot do. As for Administrative positions, they tell me since I have no management experience, it will be hard for me to get that type of position. I am really at wits end. I have done OR all my life and now having to switch, against my will, into another genre of nursing is not as easy as it seems. They all want experience and certifications which I do not have. I think my only option may be to start at the entry level and move up the ladder again which really sucks, but I gotta find a job.......I realize it will not pay me as much as I was making in the OR and I am going to take a financial hit, but it doesn't look like I have any other choices. It really sucks but that is what will probably happen.

It is a thought if I can find the right genre of nursing,,,,,,,,,,,Thanks

I have also tried faculty positions, but they require clinical instruction and patient care. I signed up for Telephonic Case Management, but I can only get satellite internet where I live and they want me to have DSL or Cable. I am trying for clinics and other positions but I am not finding anything that even pays remotely what I was making. I know I am going to have to take a pay cut of some sort, but I cannot find anything. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks, Susan

Thanks for the advice,,,,,,,I appreciate it

I had to have a 3 level fusion in my neck last December. Apparently, I took too long to make the decision to have surgery that I suffer from nerve damage in my left arm and hand. I was an OR nurse for 17 years, now I cannot return to that arena. I am trying to get into Case Management or Quality Control, but it is a Catch-22. You can't get a job without experience and no one will hire you so you can get experience. I am finishing two Masters Degrees this month, so I am hoping that will help me move into the Business side of Nursing. I am on Long-Term Disability right now, but I really would like to get back to work. It has been almost a year and I fill out application after application, but no bites. I know we are in a recession, but WOW! Does anyone have any suggestions as to a career I might try? I have tried Case Management, Risk Management, Performance Improvement, and Quality Control. I almost had a job teaching until I found out I had to do clinicals too, and my doctor has said No patient care. Any ideas out there of anything else I might try? I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks so much.

I really need some advice. I was an OR Nurse for 14+ years since I had gotten out of nursing school. Now, with cervical stenosis, I had to have a 3 level cervical fusion which resulted in left sided weakness and I cannot return to patient care. I am trying to find a job on the business side of nursing before my Long Term Disability runs out in September. I am an MSN, MSHA nurse. I have applied for Case Management, Utilization Review, Care Coordinator positions but they all require experience or certification that I do not have. Are there any jobs somebody like me can apply for that dont require all that? I am having a rough time because OR is the only thing I have ever done. Now that has been taken away from me, and I am at a loss as to where to go next. Any suggestions would be great! Thanks so much.