Kit.Kat

Thank you for responding! I did graduate with my associate's, but I will also be graduating with my BSN this August 2017, and as of then I will have 1 yr experience. I appreciate your response, I just feel the urge to venture somewhere because at 27 without a family & having studied a long 7 years without much self-exploration is motivating me.

I will NOT be omitting any educational/job history, I did not mention that I would have. Thank you for the advice.

Thank you for your response... I would have NOT eliminated my job history, I meant if they would consider me as a new graduate/new nurse since I had employment of less than 1 year and would have recently graduated from a BSN degree program. Not exactly sure, if you also mean, regarding not having equivalence to AUS nursing education, that I would require additional education in Australia or I would not be considered a candidate for AUS nursing visa... please, further details are appreciated.

Hi, I am in a similar situation willing to get any visa that fits my lack of experience. I am a ADN graduate working as an RN in a FQHC in NJ for, as of right now, 9mos with expecting graduation from my RN to BSN program this August 2017. Ideally I am seeking to immigrate to Australia to be with my 2 aunts in Queensland by end of November 2017 and start working whenever I get the chance. Seeking advice through my own post on this site & found yours. Wondering about any updates and if you can share you experience so far =)

Hello nursing community, I graduated from an associate degree program and as of the moment have 9 months of experience working as a RN in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in NJ. (**extra details: worked full time from July 2016 to Nov 2016 and currently part-time). I am expecting to graduate with my BSN from Penn State Online by the end of August 2017 and ideally, would like to immigrate to Australia by end of November or even to the beginning of 2018. It's been 2 weeks into Googling blogs & reading AHPRA (Nursing & Midwifery Board of Australia) links and the Australian Immigration site, but getting lost as to what category I will be categorized in due to my work experience of less than 1 yr and soon to be a new graduate of a BSN program, as per this link: https://www.anmac.org.au/skilled-migration-services/registered-nurse and this link: Professional reference information | ANMAC | Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Council I know the job I work in will not support my leaving & may not do a favor in writing me a personal reference... so I'm thinking, would I be able to be considered as a "Recent Graduate" which seems to elude me from needing a personal reference? Does anyone understand a brief summary of the things to do and the time frame of the entire process? It's all getting me anxious & confusing for me to comprehend this process, as this is the first BIG thing ever for me that I desire to do and actually manifest it (besides getting my RN license! But this was done in a familiar home compared to this new dream). I would appreciate this nursing community's responses, experiences & advice. Thank you so much for you time to share =)

Hello nursing community, I graduated from an associate degree program and as of the moment have 9 months of experience working as a RN in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in NJ. (**extra details: worked full time from July 2016 to Nov 2016 and currently part-time). I am expecting to graduate with my BSN from Penn State Online by the end of August 2017 and ideally, would like to immigrate to Australia by end of November or even to the beginning of 2018. It's been 2 weeks into Googling blogs & reading AHPRA (Nursing & Midwifery Board of Australia) links and the Australian Immigration site, but getting lost as to what category I will be categorized in due to my work experience of less than 1 yr and soon to be a new graduate of a BSN program, as per this link: https://www.anmac.org.au/skilled-migration-services/registered-nurse and this link: Professional reference information | ANMAC | Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Council I know the job I work in will not support my leaving & may not do a favor in writing me a personal reference... so I'm thinking, would I be able to be considered as a "Recent Graduate" which seems to elude me from needing a personal reference? Does anyone understand a brief summary of the things to do and the time frame of the entire process? It's all getting me anxious & confusing for me to comprehend this process, as this is the first BIG thing ever for me that I desire to do and actually manifest it (besides getting my RN license! But this was done in a familiar home compared to this new dream). I would appreciate this nursing community's responses, experiences & advice. Thank you so much for you time to share =)

Hi tattoednurse26! Did you graduate with your BSN? Having a BSN in NJ is golden and employers will actually consider you for application, otherwise with an associate's degree like what I have, employment is a little more work. I feel that maybe leaving out my small experience may avoid possible employment opportunities. Luckily I am enrolled in a BSN program. It is great that you didn't have any issues leaving out your 1st employer. I would rather not having anything to do with my 1st employer, but I figure the experience on the rehab & vent floor is valuable. I appreciate you sharing your experience :)

Thank you icuRNmaggie for your support and advice, as well! Picking up from the fall and will try again! I didn't know that HR searches our SS# and can see our work history from there.. I'm guessing due to the IRS taxes from our wages. Thank you for that new info!

Hi Mavrick, thank you for your advice! Unfortunately, due to employment for 2.5 months and less than $20,000 made I was told I am ineligible for unemployment. I've already been helped by a fellow nursing friend who is helping me fix my resume and cover letter and to help pick up my spirits in applying confidently to nursing positions. Hope I find an employer who is trustworthy, who I find supportive, and where I can dedicate my loyalty.

Yes applesxoranges, they made it tough for me. Luckily, I'm ahead of the game and have already filed and received status pending an investigation with the DOL. I have talked it out with many people and I have been persuaded to put the facility as my professional experience, but on paper applications to make sure to answer "No" to the "Can we contact your previous employer" question and prepare a simple reason without trashing my former employer that I wasn't supported for advancement in my education by allowing me to switch from full time floater RN to a part time floater position. Thank you :)

Hello AllNurses, Well, I had an unfortunate start to my career and would like your opinion on how to approach new better potential employers with my 2.5 month work history as an RN. I do not want to lie, and do not want to withhold my work experience on my resume, but due to my resignation ending uncordially, many people including nurses, as well, have advised that I refrain from adding my 1st job on my resume. I am torn because I also know a couple of nurses who says it's valuable experience because "experience is experience". To better understand my situation, here's the jist to what happened at my 1st job: I began employment at a subacute/rehab facility where my mother works as a kitchen aid in late April 2015. At the "interview" I told the DON that I was seeking a part time position because I was looking forward to continue my bachelors in the fall. She tells me she has full time with benefits and that full time nurses can go to school, too. Naive as I was, I said ok without thinking that I can take my thoughts home to think. The DON tells me that orientation will be given as much as I would need for a maximum of 1 month, BUT... no matter how long orientation given, she will only pay for 5 days of orientation. I worked orientation for 13 days and was truly paid for only 5 days. She goes on to say that since many nurses at her facility leave after orientation, wasting her time & investment, she decided to create a 2 year contract that began in January 2015, which literally is 2 sentences without terms & conditions and explanation of benefits. Without my employer ever knowing, 2 months later I had met up with a lawyer who confirmed that this contract was invalid due to NJ's employment-at-will and was not given "adequate compensation" such as a sign on bonus or specialty training of any sort. The lawyer even agreed that it was illegal for my employer to just only pay me for 5 days out of the 13 days of orientation given, as well as, my DON enforcing all nurses to clock out on time despite having unfinished work which mostly consisted of as charting & documentation. During the stress of realizing that my position was a floater nurse, who didn't just float units, but also 8 hour shifts, I was surprised that I was accepted into Penn State's online RN to BSN program for the fall. I went to my DON explaining that I was feeling exhausted working 5 to 6 days a week with these 8 hour shifts leaving me no time for adequate rest and most importantly time to study, and the DON says "I will just replace you, period" if I want to continue persisting for part time. I came to the DON in mid-July to notify her with a resignation letter stating that I will work 21 days (as noted in the employee handbook for nurses' resignations) for her to find a replacement because I decided that I wanted to prioritize my school since I wasn't given the part time. I was expecting a cordial understanding & support for advancement of education, but she handled the interaction very unprofessionally, forgetting what she had told me, and called me a liar for accepting the full time position & going against her contract. It's defamation of character & did not serve a purpose. Then, she tells me that I cannot leave my job because of signing her 2 year contract unless I am terminated by her. She was implying that I cannot leave my job because of her contract that I discovered was invalid when I contacted my lawyer. And I told her it says in the employee handbook that this company is "Employment at will" which allows me to leave at any time, for any reason. She disregarded that & stated that the policies don't matter because of her contract. Then she expresses her frustration and states that the only reason she hired me was because my mother works there and told me to "not come back.. to NEVER come back." Despite my intention to resign with a 21 day notice, I deduced that I was fired on sport and was not able to ever come back to work, and even more so, did not find any comfort in returning to such a working environment anyway. The next morning, hours before what was my afternoon scheduled shift, I find a missed call from work and a text from the lady who is in charge of making schedules. I text her respectfully that: "The DON told me not to come back yesterday" and thanked her. She replies back that I must come to work & that "it's bad if u don't show up." I told her: "*** is the DON who is my boss & should be the one to tell me." I honestly don't truly know the context of the text that "schedule lady" sent me, but right after I told her the DON should be the one to talk to me, "schedule lady" sent me a text saying in my language, which translates to "omg... you are a very hard head". Right after, the DON calls me & I answer & she says that I must come to work & that she only said that because she was very frustrated because "now I'll be short-staffed again" and "I'm in charges of all the nurses in this entire building and you do not understand me, you don't understand how frustrated I am". I then tell her, that I loved working with my patients & enjoyed learning new nursing skills, but after my conversation with her yesterday that I will never come back to work for her at all with this company. Lastly, she tells me that the only reason that she hired me was because my mother "begged me to hire you." It was rude and seemed to imply that she didn't hire due to my work ethics & my eagerness to be in this profession, which offends me. After that I kept my cool & told her "Sure, if that's how you feel, thank you. Goodbye." I decided to grab the courage to speak with the facility's administrator 2 days later, and what I find out was that she absolutely disregarded my side of the story and was not objective in the whole scheme of things. She accused me that I committed "abandonment of position and risked patient care" and that the DON had a reason to react "frustrated" because I "left without 24 hours notice" leaving them without enough time to find a well trained nurse despite me initially resigning with a 21 day notice. I felt like I was attempted to be beat by them and get fired at the end. I was shocked, felt offended, felt degraded by all the words jabbed at me, felt unsupported for bettering myself in my career, and felt that this was a sign that nursing just wasn't for me. Luckily, it was just a down phase and now I'm rising back up to find an employer who is eager to teach and add an enthusiastic, holistically inspired, energized young nurse to their team with a desire to sharpen my nursing skills and be the best at what I want to do. But, I don't want to put down my 1st employer on my resume or as my reference because I am afraid they will talk horribly about me and will ruin my career hunting and prospects in nursing. So, I'd like to know what is best to do on my resume? Leave out my 1st employer on my resume, but be honest about my 1st employer & explain professionally that I left because my DON wasn't supportive of me pursuing my education? Or MUST I put down my 1st employer despite also being employed for only 2.5 months? Your time & perspectives are very much appreciated. Thank you very much, friends of AllNurses!

Hello all, I appreciate all of your views.. it is enlightening & gives me a greater perspective on how to approach this dilemma. I just contacted my local DOL- Wage & Hour Division & was told to simply file a complaint to start an investigation. What's internally conflicting is that I have spoken to senior nurses (LPNs and RNs) working with me who are very well aware of the illegal & unfair actions our employer is committing but are being ignorant of the matter, brushing it under the carpet, because they don't want to lose their jobs. I clearly understand their basis for fear of losing their jobs perhaps because they are most likely LPNs and associate degree RNs, or for other reasons, whatsoever. I also understand that this facility has a budget, funded by Medicare and whatever else, and it's not that much.. not enough to compensate staff & the RNs what we really deserve despite the hours worked for orientation and after end of shift hours. I would hope that if my facility could afford to pay us for all considered work-hours that they would. But I'm trying to see it from their side that maybe they just can't afford to due to lack of funding, and have to find ways to cut costs just to stay afloat & not go bankrupt. Although I am a youngn', at 24 years old, who knows that better opportunities await me, I am very well aware that working in the Tri-state area (specifically Northern NJ), my likelikhood of getting a "better job" here e.g. hospitals, would be difficult without having enough experience even with a BSN. I will be matriculating in Penn State Online this Fall, but if I quit to stand up for my rights, receive the wages I deserved from orientation & OT (after end of shift hours worked but not compensated) with less than 6 months of experience, I don't know how much of a good move that would be since I've heard hospitals around my area would consider at least 1 year of experience. I'm internally conflicted though, thinking to sacrifice this wage & labor issue for that 1 year experience & then leave with the prospect of not having to pay a penalty due to the ambiguity & lack of terms & conditions stated in the 2 year contract to a "better job" that will consider me a candidate for hire OR to leave with less than 1 year experience and risk being just as every other new grad (ADN or BSN) who doesn't have experience and being stuck in that pool who are waiting for someone to call for an interview.

Hello, I'm sorry, do you mean order a complaint to the DON? Please clarify, I would really like to gather as much views & opinions as I can to educate myself more on this.

I was told during interview with the DON that I will be employed as full time $27/hr with benefits. All the DON asked is if I could start orientation the next day and that I will get orientation for a maximum period of 1 month, but will only get paid for 5 days. I was actually "oriented" for 3 weeks from April 24 to May 12, but will only get paid for the last 5 days. My date of hire on the W2 and the other papers is May 7th instead of April 24. I don't think that facilities around my area do this thing normally... magnet hospitals (although my facility is a subacute/rehab facility which doesn't have as much funding) pay new hires during their entire orientation, even with my friend who had her full 6 weeks orientation paid at her hospital. Thank you for your views. I really appreciate everyone's input. This gives me more fuel to take some action.

I never knew anything about how to conduct myself during interviews & contracts, but just answer interview questions.. this is my first ever professional interview, and I did not realize that I did could tell the DON that I would think first before signing the contract. And I do have a copy of the contract & the papers I signed that day, but 2 weeks later I signed policies of the institution & reception of the employee handbook but I didn't think of requesting a copy of those papers I signed that day. The interesting thing is that I signed my contract on April 23, 2015.. started orientation on April 24, 2015.. and when I came to finish the rest of the papers they told me to put Date of Hire as May 7, 2015... 13 days after I actually started orientation.