WildRoseRN

I graduated during the Great Recession and found it impossible to get into a preceptor program. My RN license has been inactive for many years. No work experience. Is it even worth applying for jobs in New York? I've been told there are so many experienced RN's out of work now, my chances of getting a job are very small. I'd certainly need a refresher course and preceptor program as well.

Any RNs who have made lateral switch to physical therapy or massage? It's been over a year since I graduated with an AS. Applied to countless hospitals in NY, TX, & FL. None accepted me into their RN orientation program. No one will hire new grads without a year of experience either. I looked into going back to school, but even cheapest online BSN or MS are unaffordable for me right now. I've heard there is growth in PT...but that's what I heard about nursing when I started school! A friend gave me some massage lessons and it doesn't seem hard to get competent. Only problem is getting certified/licensed. I think pretty much every state requires hundreds of hours in formal classes? I'm wondering if being an RN counts for anything academically? Or at least towards a regional/national certification? I'm even considering working abroad. I've found some countries in Asia where having any kind of healthcare background seems good enough to at least do massage. As a foreign student I might even have a better chance at a scholarship too. This appeals to me because I might actually be able to start working and gain experience BEFORE graduating.