Katja508

Thank you for your input! I don't think I'm using the job as a vehicle to get to baby. I look at it more like they are parallel dreams and getting them on the same track is proving difficult. My yearning for a baby right now just seems to be the louder train! :) I actually have PCOS and suspected endo so we're not sure how ttc will go. That's definitely part of it. I'm relatively young (28) but my husband is 6 years older so age is a factor, too. I'm also really mad at myself for not starting this journey sooner. I could be a year or two out and have a job secured and be thinking about babies now. Again, thank you for your advice. I think not the dream job threw my plans into a tailspin and I just need to figure some things out.

I know you guys are right. Waiting until I'd qualify for FMLA was the original plan. But I also thought I'd have a job I could start in June so I could start ttc this year. It's just so hard! Especially with the average time for new grads securing jobs being about 6 months. That puts babies at least 2 years from now. I just keep putting off one of the most important things in my life. I'm ready and my husband is ready but life is not cooperating! Thanks for the advice, guys!

Hi guys! Background: I just graduated nursing school with my ADN on Friday (5/9/14) and plan on taking the NCLEX as soon as possible. So, I just got the email 3 days ago telling me that I didn't get my dream job. It was a new grad externship program that has been in my long-term plan since I started my pre-reqs. I really thought I had a shot and was "being considered" and everything I've applied for probably a hundred jobs since January and have only had one phone interview. I'm applying everywhere, LTC included. I was hoping I'd have a job offer before graduation. I know that when I pass the NCLEX, they may look on me a little better but then I'll be fighting against all the other new grads. I feel like I missed my chance. The biggest reason I want to get a job so quickly is so that my husband and I can start a family. It's really the only thing I want out of life and I feel like I just keep putting it off for nursing and I'm not getting any traction in return. I guess I'm just hoping for advice. I really want to pass the NCLEX and then start trying to conceive but I know that would look terrible when I do eventually go back. Would it look better if I went straight to getting my BSN while (hopefully) staying home with a baby and then going back? Should I just put it off longer? It really breaks my heart to do so, but I don't want to feel like the last 4 years have been for naught. I also thought we'd be more financially stable when we had a baby. I'm just at a crossroads here and I feel like it could go either way. This is also compounded by us wanting to relocate from Chicago to St. Louis to be closer to family. We can't do that until one of us has a job and neither of us are having luck! Just really frustrated with all of this. Thanks for reading! Any advice is appreciated!

Just got the email. Didn't get it. Good luck to you

Oh! I didn't notice either! Haha! Good to know we have some time but I don't know how much longer I can hang in there! I'm so anxious! MswalkerRN: Do you know if all the people that were 'being considered' got a phone interview?

Oh man! She did say there were only a couple of recruiters so that it might take awhile. I'm not sure if we'll get a call that sets up a phone interview or just the phone interview our of the blue! I'm carrying around my notes with me just in case. I'm so bad at phone interviews! Crossing fingers for tomorrow!

Hear anything, amichelle? I called (I couldn't wait!) and they told me I was still being considered but that's really it.

That's great news for you! Good to know they haven't made any final decisions yet. Crossing fingers I hear something soon, too!

Were you able to reach anyone?

Yes, I just called the number in one of the emails that (I think) is the main HR number. It will usually patch you through to leave a message. I left a message with my name and said I was wondering the status. The problem was I missed their call-back and they just left me a message saying I was still being considered and that they were still looking at applications so I couldn't ask for a timeline. Let me know how it goes!

Have you contacted them since you submitted the resume? I called about 3 weeks after and was told I was still being considered and that they were still going over applications. That was about 3 weeks ago. Now I feel like I've used up my one follow-up phone call so I can't call again and ask about the timeline! But if you haven't called yet, you might be able to! What do you think?

Haha! This is so funny! I've been putting the same thing in google for the last 3 months trying to find SOMEONE in the same boat as me! I finally found you! :) I got the same email and going through the same anxiety. Please update this topic or private message me if you hear something. I'll be sure to do the same!

I'll be following this post with interest since I'll be graduating with my AAS in May and moving to St. Louis right after. I've already submitted a couple dozen applications but, of course, have heard nothing. Sorry I can't be of more assistance! I hate hearing that it's 'who you know'. I don't know anyone nor do I have tech/CNA experience. Where would I find the time? Good luck!

Nurse2b9742: Oh, I've heard the opposite! Apply early and often! I do feel pretty silly, though, having to fill out forms as not graduated and no license. That's why I feel like I'm being filtered out. But I don't know if there's another option. If you have to wait until you technically graduate, no one would have a job secured before they left. I did know they were on a hiring freeze but my dream is SSM. I'm hoping BJC opens up and takes out some of the competition :) Thanks for the response! Nursephillyphil: That's my plan! I'll take anything! I just want a job as soon as possible. The problems I'm running into are not being taken seriously because I have neither a degree nor a license. I'll keep at it though! Thanks for the response! I'm really hoping to be accepted into a residency program with one of the big hospitals but most of them prefer BSN.

Thanks so much for the reply! The move to St. Louis is family-related and was always the longterm plan. We could put it off and likely will if neither of us can find jobs before we'd move. I'm realizing more and more that I need to get a CNA job but it takes about 3-4 months to do the whole process (I did it earlier in the year and didn't follow through with taking the test because I realized I didn't have time for another job. Silly mistake). A lot of hospitals advertise that they will hire a nursing student with at least one semester of clinicals but I have had no luck with them. I have people that I know that work at hospitals, of course, but none with influence on the individuals hiring. We also aren't prepared to make it public that we are moving to St. Louis so a blanket FB post would probably cause more harm than good. I just feel like I'm doing all of this work on applications just to get filtered out of the running within minutes!

Hi there! I posted this in another forum, too, but thought others may be going through the same, here! I'm a bit of a planner and I've been planning for the upcoming 6 months for about 4 years now. Now that the time is here, I'm freaking out a bit. I'll be graduating my ADN program in May, moving to St. Louis from Chicago, and taking the NCLEX shortly after. My biggest worry is where I'm going to work. I know the job market is ROUGH right now. But I feel like I need to have a job secured before moving but all of the jobs for which I've applied so far have rejected me almost immediately. I mean, I get it, I haven't even graduated yet, let alone a licensed nurse! I started applying for anything and everything in the last couple of weeks but I feel like I have a lot going against me: -ADN and not BSN (though I have plans to start BSN in August '14) -New grad who has not even graduated (ha!) -No hospital experience (have been applying for nursing assistant jobs with no luck) -Live out-of-state -Have no connections in the hospital system I guess I need advice at this point. What should I do? I don't mind starting with home health or LTC but I'm not even sure they'll give me a job at this point. I'm feeling pretty badly about myself and I feel like this has all been for naught. Obviously, I'm jumping the gun since I haven't graduated but getting a job in St. Louis is the catalyst for all of my other goals (buying a house, having a baby, etc.). I just can't imagine floundering for months or years trying to find a job. Thanks for listening if you've gotten this far :) -KB

Hi there! I'm a bit of a planner and I've been planning for the upcoming 6 months for about 4 years now. Now that the time is here, I'm freaking out a bit. I'll be graduating my ADN program in May, moving to St. Louis from Chicago, and taking the NCLEX shortly after. My biggest worry is where I'm going to work. I know the job market is ROUGH right now. But I feel like I need to have a job secured before moving but all of the jobs for which I've applied so far have rejected me almost immediately. I mean, I get it, I haven't even graduated yet, let alone a licensed nurse! I started applying for anything and everything in the last couple of weeks but I feel like I have a lot going against me: -ADN and not BSN (though I have plans to start BSN in August '14) -New grad who has not even graduated (ha!) -No hospital experience (have been applying for nursing assistant jobs with no luck) -Live out-of-state -Have no connections in the hospital system I guess I need advice at this point. What should I do? I don't mind starting with home health or LTC but I'm not even sure they'll give me a job at this point. I'm feeling pretty badly about myself and I feel like this has all been for naught. Obviously, I'm jumping the gun since I haven't graduated but getting a job in St. Louis is the catalyst for all of my other goals (buying a house, having a baby, etc.). I just can't imagine floundering for months or years trying to find a job. Thanks for listening if you've gotten this far :) -KB

Ah I see! I thought I saw above that you also had D? It's really tricky not to be able to use names! We'll have to think of nicknames for everyone! :) The booklist that I got in my email (not on BB) is the same as the one posted above. I have D and class MW 6:00-7:50. Maybe that can narrow it down!

Sorry, meant reading list! Someone has it posted above. The Med-Surg is Lewis but you only have to look up the study tips part on the site. So for those of you who don't have the book yet: Medical-Surgical Nursing, 8th Edition - Sharon L. Lewis, Shannon Ruff Dirksen, Margaret M. Heitkemper & Linda Bucher. ISBN:9780323065801 There is no code to put in so you should be able to register and sign up now. By the way, it took me forever to find the required section (Study and Exam Taking Tips). After you register, there will be a bar on the left side of the home page. Under My Content, click on Resources then click on the blue Lewis...etc. link. It will open a new page. Click on the blue Resources link. The section is under Chapter 1 under student resources, then Prepare for exams. A little convoluted but I hope that helps someone else save some time! Feeling a little frustrated that I didn't just bite the bullet and get all the required books to begin with and now won't be prepared for the first day. Such is life, I guess!

I went home after the first orientation and got just the Craven and Med-Surg books! Now the booklist from D came in and I'm scrambling to get the rest in time without paying bookstore prices! Ahhh! Anyway, I was late on Thursday but people said that now they are saying there is no Skills Lab the first week. Has this been triple confirmed? I meant to call since V told me Monday that there WAS. I put it off because I can't deal with the frustration! Anyway, happy last weekend before craziness starts!

Hi everyone! Just got back from orientation! I just wanted to update everyone on what I learned about the Skills Lab. There WILL be skills lab the first week. I spoke with one of the Truman people afterwards and she confirmed. A couple people were told there wouldn't be so I wanted to update!

That's what I'm worried about! I always get my books from Amazon or similar. If we're only given a week to get them, we'll have to pay up! I called the Continuing Education department on Friday but of course they were gone for the day. When they called back today, they said that I was officially signed up for the Daytime orientation! Great! Except I'm in the Evening Cohort! Ugh. So I had to call back and leave a message and who knows if they'll get it before Monday's orientation and if it will mess everything up! I'm dreading telling my boss about the Skills Lab! I cannot believe they sprung this on us 2 weeks before classes start and AFTER we registered and finagled our schedules to work. I'm beyond frustrated and I feel like I've been saying that for months now!!

What is happening?? Was this skills lab even mentioned before this? And are we expected to go every week? I feel like this is kind of getting out of control with them adding and changing things every day! So frustrated with the whole thing right now!

I think if you are in the day cohort then you have daytime orientation. I'm in the evening cohort and the orientation for me is in the afternoon/evening. I'm going to have to come home early from my vacation AND take off work to make it all four days!! I'm also waiting until orientation to get my books. I've been hearing so many different things that I want to be sure I'm not wasting money!

Whew! That is good to know! I really wasn't sure! How did you find that out? I emailed Vanesha and got no reply!