NeverTooLate8

I TRULY hope that the new grad situation gets better. My heart aches for new grads right now. It took me 2 YEARS to get into acute care, but it finally happened for me. I always hated the "Don't worry....it will get better......Don't worry....it will happen eventually" talks/messages but it did actually happen and I am so grateful and elated (yet scared to death too). I wish I could make things better for everyone. Please don't give up (and I know how hard it is to read that statement). Good luck to ALL!!!!!

I received a couple emails yesterday with info re: the background check and pre-employment requirements. You might want to call them if you don't receive anything this week(at least that's what the NM told me).

hi all, i am pleading with any nurse managers or nurse recruiters to offer some advice. i know everyone is sick of new grad rants etc, but this isn't really one of them. i graduated may 2009 and after 7 months & nearly 200 apps, i was able to find a job in ambulatory care (as an rn). i went to a ce class last month and spoke with one of the icu rn's that was coordinating the class. since i desperately want to be a bedside nurse, but haven't been able to find a hospital job i asked her if she had any advice as to what to do. she said "the sooner the get into the hospital the better because you are soon going to be competing with may 2010 grads". i understand that, but how do i get into the hospital if many hospitals won’t even people without acute care experience? i have been absolutely panicking ever since. i have taken as many ce classes as possible (i'm well above 30 units by now) and will keep applying to as many hospitals jobs as i can find but......... my question for managers/recruiters is: would you hire me with only my ambulatory care background? i greatly fear that i will never get into the hospital now. i do tons of im/sq's, ear lavage, nebs, blood draws, vs, triage calls/assessments, refills, and the obvious paperwork. i have floated to several different departments too (so i have sometimes assisted with taps, i.e. gastro). i would truly appreciate any advice!!

I REALLY, REALLY hope you were kidding when you said this..........

What about those of us that are not so fresh out of school? I am an old-new grad (gradated May 09) and have only been able to find work in an outpatient clinic. I worry I will never get into the hospital because I don't have "acute care" experience. Ugh. Headache. I keep hearing "Oh, don't worry honey, nursing is cyclical. It will pick up!". Yah, WHEN????? I doubt it will be anytime soon! Also, has it EVER been THIS bad???????? (Those nurses who have seen this "cycle", I would love to hear what you think.....

Thank you SO SO SO much for posting this!! I PRAY that this is true and the shortage comes back. I really, really, really want to FINALLY get my bedside nursing job. I really hope this article/survery is true.

http://www.samuelmerritt.edu/t2p

I think I know what hospital you are talking about..wish I could get a job there. I think it's RIDICULOUS that they won't hire you!! So sorry! I assume you know about the Samuel Merritt "transition" program? I would look there, if possible. I wish the best of luck to you!

In this "we-don't-hire-new-grads", hiring freezes abound economy - NO WAY. Right now, I would NOT recommend anyone go into nursing. I thinks it's a great career, but now is not a good itme to start, IMHO.

AMEN. THANK YOU!!!!

There is no nursing shortage. There are THOUSANDS of U.S. new grads and experienced nurses that need jobs!!! THEY should have priority. Sorry - this is a sensitive topic for me and REALLY angers me!:madface:

Interesting question! I wouldn’t say I regret it exactly now, but when I first graduated and had the incredible struggle to find a job, I did regret it. I have wanted to be a nurse since I was very young and I was soooo looking forward to it. I graduated and to my horror and surprise, it took almost 200 applications and 7 months to find a job – and the job I did find is not the kind of nursing I want to do (ambulatory care). Now, I am worried that I am too far out of nursing school to be considered a new grad (but also currently work as a nurse and therefore don’t’ qualify as a new grad anyway) but don’t have the “acute care” experience that hospitals want and therefore I will never get to fulfill my dream of working at the bedside. I am incredibly frustrated, sad, angry, and hurt. I still have my days when I wonder if it was worth it (since it’s going to be quite awhile longer until I can FINALLY and hopefully start of dream of bedside nursing). However, I am deeply grateful for having some kind of job at all – many new grads now can’t even find jobs in other avenues of nursing.

i said "sometimes" because, as others have posted, it does cut out some "dumbing-down" that i don't need and cuts to the chase. however, i don't typical broadcast it, because i am somewhat insecure about it: i am a new grad (well sort of...may 09 grad only able to find job in ambulatory care), so if i say "i'm an rn", i might look stupid if i am not familiar with what they say, since i have little experience. hope that made sense. my dad, too, kikes to broadcast it to complete strangers it seems. that can be embarrassing and unnecessary. it might be because he is proud, which makes me happy, but honestly people really don't care.

True story? Ugh....The thought of someone doing that seriously makes me cringe. :smackingf

I echo Nicki’s advice. The Bay Area is DISGUSTINGLY oversaturated with nurses. Even though I was a new grad (May 09), it took me 7 months to find a job. I do see quite a few postings that have “EXPERIENCED NURSES ONLY” (emphasis in job posting, not mine) – I see this so much it makes me sad, sick, bitter, and angry all at the same time. So, even though there are more jobs for exp nurses, I still think it’s wise to already have a job lined up before moving. I was born and raised here – C.O.L. is almost laughable. Depending on the area, 2 bedroom apartments can run upwards of $1500 - 2K (again, depending on region). A modest single family can easily go for half a million. As far as I know, most places are union. But, I haven’t worked for a ton of places. For an experienced RN, pay rate is quite high (hence why so many people want to move here and the area is over-saturated). You might start at around mid $50’s/hr. Majority of the hospitals (in fact, I can’t think of one that hasn’t) are on/have had recent hiring freezes. In this economy, I doubt any hospital will add relocation assistance. Good Luck!

Love your explanation! I never thought of band = baby. That will stick me forever now! Thank you PJ!!!

Sadly, you are far from alone. At least half of my graduating class (May 09) still don't have jobs. I think it's gonna be awhile.

thought i would put in my , since i am in this situation. there is absolutely no nursing shortage, especially in ca. it's not even close to being over. i graduated in may 09...just shy of 200 applications, 6 interviews, and 7 months later i finally landed a job and that was at an outpatient clinic. can't get a hospital job to save my life. the current job i have is paying my bills and giving me some kind of experience, but it is not the kind of nursing i want to spend my entire career on. i yearn to work at the bedside, but it's gonna be awhile since people seem to flock to the area i live in, as rn's get paid so much here (but incredibly high cost of living). quite sickening. it's true - there are so few jobs for ng's right now it is beyond disheartening. i have cried myself to sleep on i don't know how many occasions. i want to cry now just thinking about it. it's probably going to take quite some time for things to turn around. p.s. - i get so mad thinking about all the ng's that get their icu job only to turn around after their obligatory year and go to crna school. i would give my right arm to be an icu nurse. i would sign a contract stating that i need to give 5 years without blinking. don't get me wrong, if that's what they want (crna) then kudos to them, but it makes other ng's look bad b/c mana5ers think they will get their year and bounce. and, more often than not, the managers are right.

i read your post and i want to vomit. my heart absolutely aches for us old-new grads. so let's see - we are just the "lost graduating nursing class of 2009 and 2010"? i was talking to one my co-workers (experienced rn) who said "i just can't imagine that you guys are going to just be left out there and be the "lost class". no way!" frankly, i hope that this refusal to hire new grads comes back to bite these hospitals in the butt. if i read one more time "no new grads!" (caps are from job poster, not me), "no new grads will be accepted", "new grads need not apply", "experienced only", i will scream. while i was lucky enough to find a job in ambulatory care, i am afraid that because i don't have "acute care experience" (the one thing everyone wants) i will never work in a hospital. i have an rn job and might not be considered a new grad anymore, but i have no acute care experience, and can't work in a hospital. ???? wth ?????? i just want to thank all the hospitals in california that refuse to hire new grads. schools keep pumping out new grads like crazy in the hundreds each year, yet very few hospitals will train us citing "new grads are too expensive" and economical problems. ............absolutely................ ridiculous.......................

Thanks, Dogstar. It is reassuring that the worst that can happen is "No" (which I have become immune to). And....you're right...I HAVE a job in the meantime. And I thank my lucky stars every day!!! It's not my dream job, but it is SOMETHING. Thanks again!!!!

I always understood that to do an agency, they require experience as well. (Forgive my ignorance, by agency, I assume you mean per diem) Sadly, all the postings I've seen for per diem require even MORE experience than full-time/part-time jobs) ????? Unfortunately, moving isn't an option right now (too long for details).

I graduated with my BSN on May 09. After almost 200 job applications, 7 months, and numerous crying sessions, I finally found a job at an outpatient clinic. I am SO terribly grateful for having a job (better than being at home crying) that I can’t even put into words, since many of my classmates are still unemployed. Here’s the thing: I don’t want to be in ambulatory care forever but since I don’t have “acute care experience” I am worried that I will never get inpt experience. Bedside nursing is really where my passion and interest lies. All the job postings that I see say “acute care experience required”. Since I’m technically not a new grad anymore (since I now have some sort of RN work experience) but don’t have acute care experience, I am afraid I will be stuck in ambulatory care for the rest of my life…….. Since the non-nursing shortage will likely last for a couple more years (I presume), I am worried that I won’t be marketable down the road. I feel like I am losing my clinical skills each day. Any advice? Grrr!! Just noticed my typo in the title and now I can't edit it! Blast!!! *Edit: Prospects*