geminidiamond

You are not alone. I actually am an RN finishing my MS in Health Informatics and it is a difficult field to navigate. I'm having difficulty finding a new job. Its relatively new and the career paths still being defined etc. I work at one of the mentioned vendors as a business analyst designing the software. I would prefer to be in the hospital with the end users. Also, I live in a city where there are 2 major hospital systems so these roles are hard to come by. I don't think you should throw in the towel just yet. If you are open to relocating California, Texas and Raleigh seem to be hot spots where most of these jobs are. Also, you can look into working on the vendor side where I am now, some of my peers are former RT, nurses, physicians, pharm techs, PharmD, lab rats. I think you would be a perfect fit in Health IT, and instead of switching maybe pull off a dual degree if you can.

Wow, I was ready to post the exact same message almost to a T. Except add 5 years. I got pregnant shortly before graduation as well. I passed the NCLEX in July and started searching for a job. About 3 weeks after I had him, I landed my first interview, the manager wanted me to start the next week. I stupidly admitted that I needed more time because I'd just had a c-section (I blame it on my hormones). I wish I just said give me 2 weeks to take care of family stuff. I couldn't catch my breath as fast as she practically threw me out of the office. Anyway, I now live in a different state where it is practically impossible to land a nursing job as a new nurse. Fast forward, my son is 5 and I work at an EHR, which affords me a reasonable 9-5 schedule, flexibility to work from home some days and leaving early if I have to pick up my son. I say all that to say, while I regret having my child in school and not starting my passion of bedside nursing, there are ways to get around it. Look up Epic, Cerner, Mckesson, clinical informatics. I still feel like I'm doing something related to the field without sacrificing raising my kid as a single mom. Colleagues try to demean me and say I'm not a 'real' nurse because I was never employed as one, so that hurts and I believe it to be true but they can't take away my accomplishments and my importantly my salary (which is 30k higher than nurses in this city). Hope that helps! In the meantime, keep applying to new grad programs :)

I'm curious how you guys that just started feel about the current strike?? I'm supposed to start in April, but I don't know if I feel comfortable getting into a situation where I would have to make that type of alliance (with management or fellow, senior nurses). Do you think it will all be resolved by April? What is the climate like?

Thanks for the heads up!

Does anyone have salary info on this place. I have an interview coming up and have no idea what to expect. I know there are different locations and other factors. If you could tell me at least how it compares to the hospitals in the area. Thanks.

Hi, I was offered a position to work in DC but I have a 4 month old and I'm a single mom. I thought my mom would come along to help, but turns out she's changed her mind. Its at a hospital and shift work, so a regular day care won't work for our schedule. The only option I see is a nanny, but that's super expensive. Does anyone already have a nanny and want to enter a nanny share arrangement? Or does anyone have any other suggestions? Or is anyone in my shoes and willing to watch my child while I work and I watch her child when she works. My unit manager is super flexible about scheduling. Please help!

I'm a recent ETP grad and still have some textbooks for anyone who is interested. PM me for the info. I'm moving and need to unload so we can negotiate a REALLY good price :)

I hear you. I get depressed at least once a week searching and applying for jobs. I'm still not working yet either. I like the suggestions that everyone has made so far. My suggestion would be an investment...look at online programs for a quick way to a BSN, accelerated or RN to BSN. From what I'm hearing, there is a shift in hospitals that want their "magnet" status to only consider BSNs going forward. Just starting a program could make you more attractive to prospective employers.

Oncology

Interview 1: I told her I just had a baby, so she told me during the interview she would keep in touch with me for future positions. Interview 2: Still nothing (u know about that 1) been about a month. Interview 3: 5 days, offer! The waiting game sucks so bad. I too have to consider child care, but I already have a car, but the bills are piling up.

I got pregnant during my accelerated BSN, started in May got pregnant in January, graduated in May, passed boards in July, worked part time doing chart review in August, had him in October. I've been searching for a job these few months with little luck, now I do have an offer to start in April so I feel like that was perfect timing. At 1 month it would have been too soon for me, when he was 3 weeks I went on an interview and talked about him almost the whole time, almost cried (so unprofessionalAnd I just got a pump because I went out of state for an interview, but he refuses to take bottles, who knew, so there are always unexpected challenges. But I say you should go for it, it will def slow u down having a newborn and toddler but if u have a good support system, why not? I'm a single parent, so my son will be much older when I decide to have another baby. Luckily my sister is getting married this summer, so my son and his future cousin might be pretty close :)

So I did get an offer :) I won't be able to start until April But I'm still super excited. I guess I will see ya there!

Check out these websites. http://www.nursesunited.org/ and https://www.whcnurses.org/. Updates about contract negotiations. I googled. I guess its okay to post them here, we will know if they are removed.

Congrats! Just keep doing test questions until the day before and have a rest. You will do fine. I still havn't heard anything. I'm hoping they are doing this alphabetically and I'm at the end. :uhoh21:

I interviewed today! I was able to tour the unit and talk to really nice nurses that work there. I think it was left up to the nurse mgr to take you up. I wonder when they will do notifications. 2 weeks isn't much time to get prepared. I hope they let everyone know tomorrow. The hospital and the staff were much nicer than I expected. I'm now hoping that I do get selected!! The clinical questions caught me off guard but I think I did well. Also, someone told me there were about 200 apps for the last class, with 120 selected.... And it was super hot