M3BWN

I would be tempted to work as a health care aid for a while to make sure that health care is right for you. I imagine you'd be able to acquire a job with your PN training?

Hahahahaha!!!

It would be nice to be PM'd about this site to work at in Alberta!!! Just wondering if the staff are generally happy to be working here or not, and nice to new hires.... lol

I know some of the students who didn't finish the practical nursing program with me were able to work as care aides. But now that they have the BC Care aid registry (I don't remember what it is called), I don't know how it would work. So if your first year includes personal care and a practicum you might be able to get something from your school saying you'd be qualified to work as a care aid? I am really just guessing tho, I'd talk to your teachers. Then definitely go for the ESN after your second year :)

Thanks again Joanna :)

Thanks ladies :) I just remembered that I read somewhere that a person couldn't have two positions with AHS. Does this include having two casual positions in different hospitals/zones?

If I just got my first casual job and haven't even orientated yet... would it be kicking myself if I went for another job interview at another hospital? After reading on here about the no seniority for casuals, and that casual staffing is pretty much up to the mangers' discretion... I feel like having more than one job wouldn't really be a good idea? And this is just an interview, it is not a job offer. Sometimes it is beneficial to have more than one casual job, but I always figured I would just take one casual job, and be available for all the shifts. I don't necessarily need to work a lot, but would like more than 1 shift a week to really grasp acute care and be confident. Plus I feel super guilty if I can't pick up shifts when called... so I almost think that I should just decline the interview at this time and stick to one facility.... Anyways, your thoughts, opinions & experience on this would be greatly appreciated

Would that just be the AHS website where you can log in and have new job posting notifications sent to your email?

Casuals really don't build seniority in Alberta? That kind of isn't nice... does that mean that it just depends on the scheduler as to who they call for shifts? When I was in BC, before the LPNs moved to bcnu we would accrue seniority as casuals. And the list was updated quarterly and call outs were based off of the seniority list. So I don't know how it works now... Anyways, sorry for the side-track Sandy! I wish you good luck with whatever you choose to do

I think you can port your seniority between the health authorities? Might be beneficial to try the move if you have a job offer, you could always move back to the city after a year or so if you really don't like it? I moved out to alberta after living in a small bc town all my life.... its different, but at times its kind of nice to have a big change. But then again, if you just recently started things might pick up for casual work. The more you work the higher you get on the seniority list and the more calls you will get. Perhaps in the summer it will get busier

Yes I hope so. I am very excited

After too many interviews, and too many months of searching I now have a casual job at a hospital Yay!!!! But I'd like to think that this job search has made me more willing to take all the weekends and nights I am offered lol. (In reality though I would rather work a lot of nights than evenings....)

Yeah, the idea of casual work is crazy. The position is just casual, only when someone calls in sick, or has a leave from their regular position. I don't have much experience being a casual in Alberta, but in BC I usually worked more than full time as a casual. Casual has its perks tho. You may not get the benefits, but you usually get extra pay in lieu of benefits. If you want to go away on a trip you don't need to ask and pray you get the required time off... One of the harder parts of being casual is it is hard to say no to shifts because you never know when the next shift will be, so sometimes you work too many in a row. I had no clue about any of this before I graduated, and don't know that I would have wanted to know!! Private facilities and LTC are usually a bit easier to get more work than the health authorities as well. But that is another world... and layoffs happen, wage cuts, etc etc. New Horizon in Campbell River BC, Wexford Creek? in Nanaimo, a DAL facility in Edmonton.... those are just the ones I know of, I am sure there are more!! I also worked at a LTC facility in bc that did the lay off and rehire at lower wages periodically, and then another private facility where they kept trying to cut our wages (successfully). If I were you I would go rural if you can for a while. Try to stay in the health authority that hires for the city you want to end up in so that you start building seniority. Work lots, get lots of experience, and keep applying to the city while you do this. And of course we all have our fingers crossed things pick up soon, and hopefully for you when you retire in a year and a half things are on the up-swing PS I have been applying in the Edmonton area since November (after moving from BC), and just got my first job. Casual.... with a staffing agency... :\ I get calls for work after the shift starts, and the pay isn't that great. But I am happy!! I am working again!!

Its too bad that some casuals won't work all shifts. I like that being casual allows a person to have the odd day off for special events with their families and not have to worry about getting time off approved by HR... but I also found that when I was casual I worked more than full time hours. And that included nights and weekends, and everything I was called for lol. I also had a part time night line while pregnant, and picked up too many extra night shifts cause they were short staffed... ugh!!!! It sounds like they need to have some nurses that work the floors help with staffing/rotation planning :\

I have another interview coming up, hopefully it's far enough out of the city that I'll have a chance!!! Now, when they ask you if you want full time or part time what are they looking for? (And I have only ever been interviewed for casual postings). I imagine that they don't really want to hear "I'll take ANYTHING I can get!!"?? It looks like out here you would have to work your way up to full time in seniority (this took me a few years in BC to do), and from what I have heard full time is pretty hard to get.

I hope they don't get rid of the seniority rule.... that doesn't sound nice at all. For an employee to work for the same company for years and not have some sort of 'safety' in keeping their job is just not nice - there is already too much job insecurity in health care as it is

I have Long Term care experience, and my license with CLPNA. But I don't have any extra certifications, and I am an external applicant with AHS. I am applying with other companies as well, but have yet to have any call backs from them. I have been on three interviews with AHS for casual postings, but I didn't ask what the competition was like until the last time. When she said she had over 50 applicants for the posting I was quite shocked! Wish I had asked at the first interview too - at least I know there is nothing 'wrong' with me.... Just some fierce competition!! lol I've actually started the LPN-RN bridge through Athabasca, but was really hoping to get some acute care experience while working through the program. And I am a little worried about it in terms of finding work afterwards... and even keeping my license active if I don't find work. I imagine I will be able to find something, somewhere, between now and three years time.

Thank you Joanna and Fiona, this is kind of what I was thinking. I also kind of wish that AHS didn't post their postings for everyone to see... In BC the health authority would only post for public viewing any postings that weren't taken by someone internally. It gives those of us without a clue a false sense of hope! loll I have been applying for everything within an hour or so of driving time, not sure if I should go any further than that, or if they'd even hire me being so far away?? I have also been applying to private companies as well. I am prepared to work casually, thats how I started when I first graduated... I have another question. Have you ever heard of someone being hired casually after more than a month has lapsed since the interview, I can see online that the postings haven't been filled yet? I was a little worried about paramedics being the same way. So if I decide to go for a career change it should be far away from the medical field! I think I will wait it out for a while yet, hopefully I will get something before next winter. And well, if we ever relocate again I will be sure to make sure we can both secure work before doing so!!!

Sooo.... we moved out to Alberta for my husband's career. I really didn't think it would be this hard to find a job as an LPN. I do admit I was a little nervous when I heard of all the layoffs last year. But now it has been 4 months, I don't even know how many applications (130+ at least), and a few interviews. The last interview I went to I finally decided to ask how many people they'd be interviewing and all they could tell me was they had over 50 applicants. Anyone else out here having a hard time? I imagine there must be, as that was for a casual position. I've been applying for everything on AHS - and everything else I can find. Relocation isn't an option for us... I think it may just be a matter of waiting it out and hoping that things pick up soon? I was debating doing the IV therapy course, but I have read on here there was no real point as it is included in orientation? Plus I couldn't decide between the courses at MacEwan Vs the course at Norquest..... I have also been trying to think of different career paths, but I don't think I am ready to give up yet. I do enjoy nursing.... but was thinking of starting the pathway towards a paramedic.... but then I wonder if they have the same working fluctuations? Ah well, anyone want to whine with me? Or have any advice? lol

I just went for an interview today at a hospital in the Edmonton area.... Casual posting... over 50 applicants for CASUAL!! lol

We recently moved to the edmonton area from BC for my husbands career. I started working as an LPN in 2009, and have nursing experience in LTC.... I have been applying for work in and around Edmonton since the beginning of November, and I have applied for everything!!!! Got two calls for casual positions both outside of edmonton, still waiting to hear back on one and waiting to interview for the second. It is slow out there, and many of the postings I have applied for back in november haven't been filled?!! Anyways, just thought I would chime in to agree with everyone that there aren't that many opportunities. I also think most of AHS postings are probably filled internally?.. Of course I still apply to them anyways cause you never know.... Good luck!