NorCalRN85

Hello friends, I graduated an ADN program in May 2010 and went straight into an RN-BSN program to make myself more marketable. Now I have 14 months experience in a SNF and will be graduating the my BSN in May. I am afraid I won't be marketable now because many new grad programs are asking for 1) No prior work as an RN and 2) less than 6 months-1 year of RN licensure. I'm applying to do the CSU Chico Rural Preceptorship for Summer 2012 to keep my skills fresh, but I'm so discouraged. Does anybody else have similar sentiments or experience? Any tips? Stories? Advice? Thanks a bunch, B

Ooops I meant I took and passed my NCLEX in Aug 2010 not 2011... duh

Thank you for your reply and CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

I am replying to the last posting and common thread re: jobless New Grads. I graduated in May 2010 with my ADN, took and passed my NCLEX in August 2011. I enrolled in an RN-BSN program right away (Fall 2010), and kept applying and getting turned down by hospitals. In November I started struggling financially, trying to support my daughter and I on loans and grants, and decided working at a SNF would be better than anything. I started working at a SNF/Rehab in November of 2010. I printed out my resume, dressed nicely, and went door-to-door asking to speak to the nursing director of the local SNF's in my area. I landed a job in a few days. I am grateful to have a job right now in these tough economic times. The SNF has been flexible with my school schedule, I have gained confidence in my nursing skills and assessment, and experienced comradery with my peers. On the contrary, SNF's (to the best of my knowledge, ALL SNF's) are grossly understaffed and lack leadership, experience, and education in management. A lot of this is due to LTC being a low-reimbursement field of healthcare. Medicare and Medicaid submit a low fixed fee for each patient. There's no money to be made. Many SNF's are for-profit, corporations. I only had 3 days of training, as a new grad, before being given my own hall with 20-25 people to look out for, administer scheduled and prn medications to, deliver treatments, and talk to doctors and family. You are RUNNING your entire shift and I have a sense of impending doom that something is going to happen during my shift, I'll be too busy to address it or maybe I've overlooked it, and it'll come down on my nursing license. My plan is this: Finish my BSN this semester (Fall 2011) and find a hospital job. In December when I graduate I will be RN, BSN, ACLS, BLS, ECG, Chemo Certified, with 1 year SNF-Rehab experience and 2 preceptorships in ICU (one from my ADN program, one from my BSN program). Upon finishing my BSN I plan on honing my Spanish, doing a Latin abroad experience and perhaps taking a conversation class. Many hospitals are requiring you to be a fresh new grad ( Comrades: Does anyone have any feedback or suggestions for me? Does anyone have any experiences of working at a SNF as a new grad, then getting hired at a hospital? Any key Bay Area hospitals that might be interested in someone like me? My sincere thanks!