Slat235

Reading your post was like reading what my life is like right now. I'm a less than a year rn working in the exact same situation. The only difference where I'm from is that there is no ratio law. I've been looking for other jobs (anything other than LTC) and have come up empty. As an RN employers want you to have your bachelors degree and/or 2-5 years experience in a specific field. Catch 22--can't get the experience w/o the job; can't get the job w/o the experience! My only option right now (because I don't have time or money to go back to school right now) is to move around to other LTC places (same crap, different decor) which doesn't look good on a resume. Forget good wages, job security, or God forbid actual "patient care". All myths that nursing schools love to shove down your throats so they can get your money. I'm exploring other career options which is really unfortunate because I'm a very caring and compassionate nurse and I make time to actually care for my patients even if it means I work through my breaks and my lunches. I'm reaching critical burnout levels myself and it hasn't been a pretty ride. I wish I had talked to some real world nurses (LTC) to see what the reality is. Hospitals in my area are laying off nurses, medical offices are loaded with nurses who won't leave those cushy jobs until they are carried out in body bags, and even things like hospice nursing or home care want mucho experience for little compensation. Thanks for letting me vent, no haters please.

all avenues exhausted. I have stellar recommendations from other nurses when I precepted in school not to mention great references from other bosses (non-nursing jobs). And no, expanding my search radius much more than I have is not an option. I have kids and I can't just pick up and move away somewhere else (not to mention no money to do so). One HR person had the audacity to actually tell me I should move to another state to find work! If I had the money and means to do that, what the heck would I need a job for? The biggest issue is that I have a lot to offer and no one is interested. I'm almost 40, this is my second career so I have plenty of skills (just no skills in nursing other than working as an LPN in a couple of places where the experience doesn't count as "skilled" nursing). So I'm not some young newbie with no responsibilities who can just assume a nomadic existence in order to work in this field. Getting a doctor to sponsor me? what the heck does that mean? Do I just cold call some doctor and beg him/her to get me a job? I don't see that happening.

I graduated with my ADN a year ago and still no job to speak of. I've tried being optimistic, but lately I just can't gather the strength for that anymore. I worked hard in school for three years so that I could have a shot at a career and a better way of life for me and my family. All that has gotten me is deeper in debt and unemployed. Resume written and reviewed, applications sent, phone calls made, bugging each and every HR in a 20 mile radius. Same story each time (and if I get one more email response that starts with "thank you for sending us your resume, unfortunately. . .) I don't have that "magical" year of experience. No experience=no job, no job=no experience. I thought reading other people's stories would help but I've gotten very tired of the whole cheerleading "don't worry things will look up" "keep looking" "It took me 6 months but now I have my dream job" blah, blah, blah. I'm not one of those who thought that this would be a guarantee as soon as I graduated, nor am I one of those who are picky about where they work. I can't even get an interview anywhere. And all I see on websites like careerbuilder and my local newspaper are RN jobs available but ONLY if you have at least a year experience. After a year of typing, mailing, calling, borderline stalking, I've pretty much given up on being a nurse and now only occasionally check for jobs (they start to look promising until I reach that "requirement" area). Yeah, I apply anyway (or used to) but don't hear a thing back. For those of you who can't get into nursing school, count yourself lucky; I did and it cost me in excess of $10,000 of my own money, blood, sweat, tears, and the sanity of my family putting up with me for absolutely nothing. What a complete waste. I just applied to Target and Office Depot. Hopefully I can get some minimum wage job there. Nursing shortage, what a crock.

The best advice I could give you is to rethink nursing school. I graduated a year ago and have yet to find a job (don't have that "magical" year of experience).