FLNurseGuy

Just an update on my quest to land a job in Jacksonville, FL. I was never able to get an interview after months and months and months of applying. I did what someone else suggested and found a rural hospital in Georgia and was offered a job in a small hospital as a med/surg nurse. I have been there almost two years now and went to a job fair in Jacksonville, FL not too long ago. I spoke to a recruiter and she stated that she would like to see me employed at a hospital for at least three years to show some commitment to an organization before she would consider me as an applicant. She also stated that at her hospital the patients were very sick. Commitment? My previous job I was at for more than 11 years. I am driving....commuting 3 and half hours to work in Georgia! I've been doing this going on two years! I don't like to change jobs but come on. I want to live in Jacksonville with my fiance. And despite what some may think, the patients at my little hospital can be very sick. Septic shock sound sick enough for you? How about multiple system organ failure, end stage renal failure?? Anyway, my fiance is still in Jacksonville pissed at me because I can't find a RN job there. Still frustrating to not be able to get a job in big city of Jacksonville, FL as an RN with nearly two years experience.

Okay, I graduated in 2012 with an Associate degree in nursing. Passed NCLEX few months later in 2012 and have been job hunting with no luck ever since. Like many others I've not even had an invitation to interview a year into my search. I have been volunteering at a local hospital and went to that hospital's job fair and was not even able to speak to anyone there because,...."I don't have at least a year experience." Anyway, I'm thinking about doing the RN to BSN online courses that a local university offers while I apply for jobs. I already have a bachelor's degree prior to nursing school so I have plenty of courses that I can transfer. My main question is....Is a nursing school or college fully accredited if it is accredited by only the NLNAC or CCNE? Does the school have to be accredited by both to be "fully" accredited? P.S. Any openings for new grad RNs within 150 miles of Jacksonville, Florida? I'll work any day, weekends, holidays, nights, any shift. I'll live in my truck if I have to. LOL Thanks in advance for any advice and good luck to us all.

The hospitals are the big dogs. Right now and in this economy the big dogs can have their way. The really big hospitals that buy out other area hospitals to include them in their own system can for example,...decide to change the name of the from "XYZ HOSPITAL SYSTEM to XYZ HEALTH SYSTEM....at a cost of millions and then cut RN pay across the board a dollar an hour to pay for it. Not to mention cutting nurse education programs to educate and train new grad nurses or requiring bachelors degree for staff nurses or masters degrees for nurse managers. Not too long ago things were different and sign on bonuses for even new grads were out there. I hope things will change very soon for us new nurse grads. It's not the fault of the older nurses. It's the economy and current hospital administration priorities. The older nurses have a huge wealth of experience that I would give anything to be able to learn from. A lot of those older nurses are tough. They hung in and stuck with it when a lot of younger nurses couldn't hack it. Once I'm lucky enough to find a job....give me an older RN preceptor! To all of us new RN grads looking for their first job.....GOOD LUCK!

I'd be glad to work your weekends.....I'll work any hours, any shift, any days or schedule. : ) I'm in Jacksonville as well. Have you already landed a position? I'm still trying to find my first RN position. 400 plus applications and not even an interview invitation yet.

Same boat here. (Seems more like a huge ship). I have applied to somewhere between 300 and 500 positions. Not even an interview yet. Very depressing. Nursing shortage my foot! The free clinics wouldn't even return my calls or e-mails. I had applied to volunteer at a local hospital about a month ago. This past week they contacted me and SHOCKINGLY wanted to meet me! I'll start volunteering next week as soon as I get my TB test results. I am doing other things for income to keep my head above water for now. I told the volunteer coordinator that I was surprised to hear back from her because I am probably "just another new nurse grad trying to get a foot in the door". She said pleasantly that they like to give everyone a chance and that it was not unheard of for volunteers to be hired. She gave an example of a physical therapy assistant that was hired(not a nurse though). Well, I'm going to volunteer with same enthusiasm I went through nursing school with and hope for the best. Anyway, we have to do something right? I can't help but think that if what I'm doing now isn't getting results, then I should try something different. I have concerns about showing up unscheduled to a human resource office or asking to see the nurse recruiter. But since that's something different I might resort to it. Desperate times call for desperate measures sometimes. I'd like to see some posts from actual nurse recruiters or human resource folks on here. What would THEY do if they were in our shoes? REALISTICALLY....what would they do? Not everyone is young enough to join the military or in a position to travel across the nation. Not everyone is in a position to assume more debt to further their education. Most of us HAVE applied to things other than hospitals. I have applied to drug and alcohol rehab centers, clinics, nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, home health and travel nursing. Any ideas on what to do in the meantime anyone? Anyway, just venting with the rest of my jobless new nurse grad peeps! Keep the faith!!!! Things will get better and eventually something will come along! Hey,....we made it through nursing school right? We can do it!

Oh no, I left my favorite scissors and pen in there!

Should we use the stairs or the elevator?

Constipated my foot!

To AFwife727, I am in the exact same boat as you. Graduated in 2012, licensed October, 2012. I haven't even gotten an interview yet! You are not alone. If you still haven't gotten a job by the time I leave this comment, good luck. Good lock to all of us new grads looking for jobs!

Thanks for the response jromero5. I'm in Jacksonville but I am looking further out as well. I like reading responses similar to yours. I'm definitely not giving up either. Inspires me.

Thanks CP2013! Thankfully I graduated from a fully accredited college that is well thought of. My background is squeaky clean and so is my license. I am physically fit and can do anything physically necessary. I would agree to work for free if I could just get some experience!! I guess I'm just here to vent. Thanks for responses and advise everyone! Good luck to all of us...my nurse peeps!~!

I have been searching the outlying county and community hospitals and clinics and have been applying in GA, FL, AL, and SC.... Does anyone know if an RN can apply for a CNA position and work as a CNA and get paid as a CNA? There's just no jobs out there for new nurse grads are there? sighhh

Graduated in 2012 with an Associate Nursing degree from a well respected, accredited community college. Already had a bachelor's degree from state university in another field prior to going to nursing school. Upon graduation I took and passed NCLEX first attempt. I am a Florida RN now. MONTHS of applications to everyone and everything under the sun and not even one interview yet! I understand that I don't have a BSN. I understand that I have no experience yet. But how do I get experience? What is going on? Is anyone else out there experiencing no jobs because of lack of experience? Should I take the CNA exam and try to work as a CNA? Is it legal to apply for CNA positions? Who hires new grad RNs??????????????????????????????????? Do I just sit on my thumbs and spends day after day applying? What happens if it is a year or more after I am out of school? Am I not considered new graduate any more? Will I have "aged out"? Frustrated as hell!

I am about to pull out what's left of my hair. I graduated in 2012 with an associate degree in nursing and have applied and filled out online applications to hospitals, nursing homes, home health, clinics, skilled care facilities, free clinics, even hospital volunteering and have not even been invited to an interview. Part of my problem is that I have NO EXPERIENCE. How do I go about getting experience when I can't even get a job? I would prefer to work in a hospital. That's my goal anyway. Does anyone have any advice for a new nurse graduate on trying to get a job around Jacksonville, FL? I feel so useless and depressed.