McGwillis

Oops. When I say "7 month threshold" I mean that I have been unemployed for that long.

I share the frustration expressed here, and I am a nurse who has a year of experience. I just passed the 7 month threshold. Something has got to give. I urge everyone I know who thinks about going into nursing NOT to at this point. WORK. Make money ... there just aren't enough jobs out there for all of the RNs that exist. Nursing shortage is not a reality. There are plenty of nurses. There just aren't enough positions, because there isn't enough funding for adequate staffing! Negativity is a reality when it comes to this crisis. Lots of us worked our butts off to fulfill the dream of being a nurse, only to be unemployed and constantly rejected. I apply for at least 5 jobs a week (5 is actually a minimum). I have yet to get hired full time in 7 months of this (just got hired temporary per diem, though). Don't get on anybody's case for being upset about this crisis.

I may have an opportunity to work as software consultant with a company that makes EMR software ... I'm just afraid that it wouldn't be a great investment in my nursing career, since it doesn't involve any direct patient care. Has anyone here taken such a position, and/or does anyone have any words of advice on this? I have been unemployed for 7 months, and the job market is awful -- especially for a nurse with limited experience.

I am in the NYC area. Licensed in CT and in NY. One year experience as an RN and another year experience as a CNA, both in oncology and hospice. I've been unemployed for 7 months in 2 days ... losing hope ... crying often ... unable to pay bills ... very scared.

I am a registered nurse with one year experience. I have been unemployed for 7 months (I've been a nurse for almost 2 years). I apply for jobs every day. I get rejection emails every day. I can't pay for my student loans, and the interest is piling up. I worked so hard, and now I can't get work. Every few months, I break down and cry about it. I just don't know how much longer I can take, honestly.:crying2:

I am not glad that nurses are having a hard time, but I am so grateful to know that I am not the only one. I have only been a nurse for a year and a half, and my jobs have been so disappointing. My first job started off well, because the hospital had an amazing newgrad program, but I was placed with the most negative preceptor ever. All she did was say how much the other nurses sucked, the doctors sucked ... that person doesn't chart in a timely manner ... suck suck suck ... and she would tell me about her previous suicide attempts. She also thought I was nuts for wanting to spend the first 15 minutes of a blood transfusion in the room with the patient (that's what I was taught to do, and it was hospital policy). I never got evaluated (not until 6 months in!), and I rarely got feedback, because she wanted to be out the door at 705 and no later. When I was able to get out the door at that time, I walked with her, but she walked faster than I have ever seen anyone walk. THEN, when I was put on my own, SHE was the charge nurse 90% of the time ... I knew how much she thought everyone sucked and how much she hated having to help people, and I didn't feel that she was a reliable person to go to. The patient load was more than I could handle on that unit, as it turned out, and I had panic attacks regularly ... I'm talking, time to go to the bathroom and cry/hyperventilate for a while. I quit that job, and the job market was awful. I got offered a job as a case manager in home care, only to find that it was an agency where ALL of the nurses had just quit and they were desperate. I'm talking MASS EXODUS. They didn't even have nurses on staff to train me in the field. It was a nightmare. I stayed for 3 months, because I wanted to be a valuable member of a team that was trying to rebuild after some failures. Then they gave me a caseload that was twice the amount of patients that they told me that I would have when I interviewed, and I was working 12 hours a day 5 days a week ... taking call once a month, which usually meant working more than 12 hours a day during that week. I had no life, and I didn't feel appreciated at all. I routinely went to speak with the administrator (because we didn't have a supervisor!), and asked what I could do better and if there were other nurses on their way ... noting that I had twice the caseload that I was told I would have when I was hired ... they laid me off. That was 5 months ago, and I am STILL unemployed. I moved 500 miles away to a better job market, but my resume stinks ... one job for 9 months ... the other for 3, and I have only been a nurse for a year and a half. Nobody seems to want me, and it is getting really depressing. I worked SO hard to become a nurse, and it has been so disappointing! Don't get me wrong, I have had an amazing time with patient care. I love that I have been able to positively affect the lives of my patients and their families. I have many great stories to tell from such a short period of time. I just wish that I was enough for some of these jobs. I apply at hospitals, but because of the anxiety episodes at work, I wonder if I should even be doing that. I know that I have been ranting, but I was inspired by the stories being told here ... it's been really tough since I graduated and got licensed. I had no idea that things would be so bad. I guess I could use some words of encouragement:sniff:

I did my application for WakeMed online, and then delivered my resume and a cover letter in a folder to the unit where I wanted to work. I just gave it to the unit secretary to give to the unit manager. I got the job, but I also knew people who worked there ... It's worth a try!

I have been a nurse for only a year, and I feel your pain. I am moving back to my hometown in NY (from NC) VERY soon. Already applied for licenses in NY and CT. It is so sad, depressing, and discouraging. I feel like I worked my butt off to become a nurse, and I LOVE taking care of patients and now nobody will even consider hiring me! :bluecry1::bluecry1::bluecry1::bluecry1::bluecry1:

Oh yeah. Manager surely had the whole weekend off and hasn't gotten to it yet. Either way, I agree that you should call. Good advice from hiddencatRN!

Wow. I am moving back to NY very soon, so that is very scary to hear. It sounds very unjust!

I get terrible anxiety attacks at work, and as often as I have tried to just 'calm down' when they start coming on, they often feel completely uncontrollable. I am prescribed a prn benzodiazepine, but I only use it when I am not on the job. I am curious to know how some of you feel about using a small dose benzodiazepine for anxiety attacks on the job. In the past, I have noticed some short term memory loss from mine, and I never want to experience that on the job and potentially harm a patient (of course). Sometimes it seems like the anxiety itself can be more harmful than the potential side effects that could be caused by taking a low dose of such a med. What do you think? I wish there was one without any potential to inhibit nursing judgement ... in inhaled form for faster action! Thanks in advance for your input.

Yikes is right! I have been told that there are a lot of Kaiser positions available, and I am about to take my very first travel assignment pretty soon -- I won't go to Kaiser!

Love your quote, JamieLee

How is everyone doing? I left the hospital environment and am loving my job in home health. It isn't stress-free, but I get to deal with one patient at a time. It has made a huge difference in my life!

I haven't ever heard of it being called a 'residency' before, but I was in the new nurse grad program at WakeMed. They called it the Nurse Fellows program. They have hired newgrads for positions in CCU in the last few years. It is very competitive for people trying to get into the CCU positions. If you are applying for a position there, it would be best to make an appearance in person and not just fill in the application on the website. At least talk to an HR person to see if you can follow an RN on the unit for a day or something. Do it as early as September, and make yourself memorable by submitting a pic with your resume. Best of luck to you!