lperez89

I took a position in the OR with a new grad training program and a two year contract, I knew when I was accepting the job that I was making a mistake, and regretted it the moment I started the job. If I am able to find another nursing position before my contract is over, I will gladly pay back the money I owe on the contract. People are right, you either love the OR or you absolutely hate it. I would give great thought to taking the position, especially if there is a position you would rather seek out, because if you sign a contract and then realize it is not for you, most institutions will be hesitant to work with you in finding a transfer, or it may not let you transfer at all due to being a new graduate, and the fact that OR nursing is so different from floor nursing, they would have to spend even more to retrain you. Good luck, I hope you end up in the best place for you

Degree type: Bachelors Graduation month/year: May 2012 Sex: Female Age range: 19-24 Job Setting: Hospital, Operating Room Geographical Location: North Carolina Race/Ethnicity: Caucasian How long have you been looking for your first job before being hired? Began job search in January of 2012 while still in school, was offered position in May 2012 Did you do any volunteer work before your job? Yes, It was mandatory Did you possess any additional certifications (i.e. ACLS) before you landed your first job? No Did a family/friend/clinical instructor or other connection help you land your job? Explain. No Did you work in the health care setting at all before your job? If so, what field? No Did you apply online, in person (at the facility), or other? Explain. Filled out an online application, I actually didn't know what position I was interviewing for until I met with HR on the day of my interview, because I had filled out so many New Grad applications. I did not realize that I had applied for an OR position and even hoped I was not offered the job. Did you participate in any follow-up inquiries after resume submittal of your application or interview? If so, explain. Email, phone call? I sent a handwritten thank you card to each of the people who interviewed me, I was invited to tour the unit and a few days afterwards I emailed the manager thanking her for giving me the opportunity and asking her a few silly questions just to let her know I should still be considered for the job. How far away do you live from your job site? Include minutes/hours. I had to move to another city when I accepted the position, I currently live about 15 minutes from the hospital Did you hold a p/t or f/t job while enrolled in your nursing program. If yes, list whether it was p/t or f/t position: yes, Depending on the course load and its difficulty I would switch back and forth from f/t and p/t hours If you held a job during your nursing program that was not related to the health care field, please report the general field in which you worked (restaurant, retail, educational, business, etc.) Feel free to expand: I worked in Restaurants, Waiting tables and Bartending Did you receive any scholastic honors while in nursing school (Dean's List, Cum Laude, etc.?) No General comments: I had a few interviews with other hospitals and different units, but none of them ever panned out, and I was offered the Operating Room position. I Have never wanted to be an operating room nurse, It never crossed my mind in school, and since starting the job in July I've only grown to hate the job more every day. Its a specialty for a certain type of personality and I am not that type of personality. I still send out applications and resumes, however no matter how much I hate this job, until I am offered a new one I'm just grateful I have something.

I graduated with my BSN as well, and like you I have a little over $100,000 in Student loans because I attended a small private school to get that degree instead of going to a cheap state school. I only had one job offer when I graduated, in the OR...which I knew I would hate before I even accepted the position, and of course I dread going to work every single day because I'm not meant to be an OR nurse, and I dream of working in Critical care or the ED. However I signed a contract that if I break, I will owe my institution $5000 as restitution for my training, but often I think to myself "What's another $5000 to this massive amount of debt?" I too want to go back to school to become a Nurse Practitioner, and I'm not sure when that will be feasible because right now I'm living paycheck to paycheck and my loan payments are crushing me. However I do have some advice, because as a 23 year old in the same exact boat as you, have learned that leaning on friends and family for support, even just to vent about it (I have to scream about my awful job and how little money I have at least once a week) Also there is a program through HRSA.gov that if you qualify will help repay some of the student debt you accrued depending on what type of hospital you work at, they have an application you can fill out, which opens up each year in the fall, and have you talked to your lenders about lowering your payments for the time being until you are able to get on your feet, or possibly consolidation if it will benefit your situation? I feel your pain! you will get through this!

This worries me so much! I graduate in a few weeks, I went to a small private school, for the entirety of my Bachelor's degree and I had to take out private loans and federal loans the entire time! I have about $90,000 in student debt and of course I don't have a job lined up yet. My school raised tuition prices each year, cost for parking each year, and even with me trying to cut costs by buying books that were older editions, sharing with other students and working 30-40 hours a week at a serving job, I was perpetually broke. I have no idea how I am going to pay down this debt, and I had been hoping to go back to school within the next five or ten years to get my Master's degree, but I don't even know If I'll be able to afford that.