owleyes

Thank you for your insights! I have applied for 6 positions, one position was for PRN- but so far, no interviews. I wonder if I should try to get my ACLS on my own? I don't know how important this is to have on a resume in this competitive market? It's just a bit of money that's hard to cough up without having a job. As far as I can tell, CO is a nurse heavy state- lots of nurses here and nursing schools. I've heard that going to HR departments in person is not considered a positive move- as they find it really obnoxious- but I don't know what others do. I am discouraged and feeling some anxiety that I will have to start applying everywhere- and commute in heavy traffic every day (something I wasn't really wanting to do). Again thanks! Good luck to you on your new job!

I am feeling discouraged. I am an experienced RN, BSN with a diverse clinical background. My resume and cover letters look good- I have excellent references, but I am not getting interviews for positions that I am qualified for. I am new to the area, and have applied for positions that are specific to my nursing background, which is primarily oncology- and also general med positions that are more entry level positions. I am not getting any interviews. I can't be unemployed for much longer- and need to find something. Are any other experienced RN's having a difficult time finding employment in the Denver area? I am in Englewood. What are the most and least competitive hospitals in the Denver area. Any insight would be appreciated! How assertive are other nurses here- do you personally go to hospitals and talk in person when job hunting- or just apply online. It seems hard to talk to anyone in person- and not sure how appropriate that is? What do others in the Denver area do? Thanks

Thanks RNdude for your feedback! I applied for a position in Oncology at Porter a few days ago, but was not selected for an interview. Perhaps they list jobs, but hire internally- discouraging. Its a different job market here- and I may need to step things up 10 notches!

Which unit did you work on at Swedish? The person who told me to avoid it all costs, worked in the PCU. I think I will disregard her comment and apply for jobs there. What is their interview process like? Is it difficult to land a job there due to competition? Thanks again for sharing your insights. I really appreciate that!

Hi, I'm new to Englewood area, and would like to find a position, preferably day-shift in Oncology. I worked a few years in an outpatient oncology center and loved it! The problem of course, is that I need employment sooner than later. I would love the luxury of waiting for an oncology position to open, but know that could be a while. I also have med/surg and a home health background, but my experience is rural. I have heard to avoid Swedish at all costs, and that the turnover is high. I have heard that Porter is great. I want to dismiss the negatives about Swedish, because I may have an easier time of getting a job there. Could anyone shed some light on these hospitals. Should I apply for a PRN position in Oncology at Porter to just get my foot in the door- or take a full time position at Swedish to gain experience at an urban hospital? Feeling a little lost here. Any personal stories would be useful. Thanks!

I would probably rather work in a hospital unless I could do home health in one particular area of Denver. I am hoping to work closer to where I end up living. I am interested in moving to Englewood, wheatridge, lakewood, highlands (not highland park)- Honestly we are not very familiar yet with Denver or the hospitals that would be good to work at, so any information would be useful. I would really like to work in Oncology again- that would be my ideal job. Thx

I would probably rather work in a hospital unless I could do home health in one particular area of Denver. I am hoping to work closer to where I end up living. I am interested in moving to Englewood, wheatridge, lakewood, highlands (not highland park)- Honestly we are not very familiar yet with Denver or the hospitals that would be good to work at, so any information would be useful. I would really like to work in Oncology again- that would be my ideal job. Thx

My husband is interviewing for a position in Denver, so we are considering moving there. What is the currrent job market for RN's in Denver? I am interested in Swedish or Porter Hospital, but would obviously consider other hospitals. I have been an RN since 2006. Worked almost 2 years in a hospital Med/Surg unit. Worked 3 years in an outpatient Oncology setting. Now work home health. I am really concerned about not having much hospital experience. Any information would be helpful! Thanks. For those who live in Denver, do you like living there. I have never lived in a big city, so it intimidates me. Thanks again

Just curious about how may of you work out of your homes as opposed to in an office in between seeing patients. I work from home and by a laptop when I'm in the field. there are some nurses at my job who feel that everyone should work in the office, but I think that one of the perks of home health is working from home and having that flexibility. Definitely one of the appeals. Want to hear about what other home health nurses do!?

I'm sorry to hear, but if it makes you feel any better (and I'm sure it doesn't), but I feel the same way you do. Which is the primary reason for starting this thread. I am burned out as well. All I do is work- and when I have a lighter day, someone at the office sees that and throws me more work to do. I'm sure not all home health is like this. I think the draw for me is the money and not being in an office all day. I like my patients but feel so rushed to see them so that I have time to do the paper work. Are you also having to be on-call? And doesn't it feel hard to take a day off- because you have to find someone to take your patients. This job requires lots of planning ahead, connecting the dots, and being very detailed oriented. I am detail oriented, but getting lazy with things because I can't hack the amt of work. Thank you for listening...

Wow, how in the world do you see that many without going insane? Are you doing opens and recerts in the mix too? I can barely handle 32 visits per week. If I didn't want to have a life outside of work, I would probably be OK with taking more pts- but my life does not revolve around my job. Unfortunately, it seems like Nursing expects it to and it's not a respected attribute when you say "NO" . If you set boundaries for yourself, often times it's met with resistance rather than support. This is why nurses burn out- and why companies have difficult times with retention. In general, there seems to be a lot of turn-over and burn-out in HH. I think it's because nurses don't set limits on themselves and get worked to death.

Most of my visits are about 20-30 minutes, but a new open is about an hour. It's the paperwork that occurs that is the real time-consuming part. I figure hourly, I work about 12-14 hr days when you factor in visits and paperwork. I work from home mostly and on a laptop. I get paid salary- and think per visit would probably be better- I am considering asking to be per visit instead, because then the company may be less incline to keep piling on visits. Thanks for the feedback.

Hi, I started in home health about 3 months ago, and it seems like I have about 2-3 new opens every week and take about 30 or more visits each week. I felt fine when I had around 26-28 visits per week- but almost can't handle anything above 30. Unfortunately there are a few nurses who have set the bar high and have taken 50 visits each week, so now I just feel like a wimp. Just curious what is normal for other HH nurses- and opinions on how many visits and opens is tolerable each week. Thanks!