Recently graduated, failed test, can't find a job

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Hello all,

I'm new to the forums. I recently graduated with my BSN, and unfortunately failed my NCLEX.

I have to wait to retake it, but nervous about failing again. I also want to be able to find a job, since it's been about 4 months now that I finished school, and haven't been able to find a nursing job that will hire a non-licensed graduate nurse.

How do you all do it, to get a new job as a graduate nurse?

Is there anyone here from NY or NJ that knows of any hospital willing to hire nurses w/o a license, and no experience?

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Specializes in Pediatrics Only.

No hospital can hire a nurse without having the nurse first pass their boards.

However, you may be able to find a job as a CNA so that you can work in the hospital before you are able to retake and pass NCLEX.

I know in PA, you can work as a graduate nurse until the day you fail your boards. Then, you must be taken back down to CNA pay/status until you pass the boards.

You will also have to apply for a new grad position, and some hospitals only offer them in Jan/June. I suggest calling nurse recruiters at local hospitals to see what and when they offer a new grad a job.

Best of luck, and take the NCLEX again as soon as possible so that you can find a job.

-Meghan

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Specializes in Geriatric, Medical/Surgical.

In New York you can work as a graduate nurse ONLY until you either pass or fail your NCLEX...after that you are either an RN or lose you graduate nurse status (which is why you can't find a job).

Take your test again ASAP...I knew of a few people who failed the first time, tried again as soon as they could, passed, and found jobs right away.

In the meantime, call recruiters, express interest, and they might hire you on as a CNA until you can take the NCLEX again.

GOOD LUCK!

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Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).

It's the same in WV--you can be a GN until you pass or fail. At my facility, and others, if you get hired as a GN and fail, you can usually stay on as a Nurse Intern until you re-test. Slightly higher pay than an aide, but you don't get to do much. If you fail a second time, they may keep you as an aide, if they like your work ethic. You might be able to find a job as an aide until you re-test. It's questionable whether it would be worth it to train you if you'd only be there a couple of months, but they might, if they could recruit a new nurse in the process.

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No hospital can hire a nurse without having the nurse first pass their boards.

However, you may be able to find a job as a CNA so that you can work in the hospital before you are able to retake and pass NCLEX.

I know in PA, you can work as a graduate nurse until the day you fail your boards. Then, you must be taken back down to CNA pay/status until you pass the boards.

You will also have to apply for a new grad position, and some hospitals only offer them in Jan/June. I suggest calling nurse recruiters at local hospitals to see what and when they offer a new grad a job.

Best of luck, and take the NCLEX again as soon as possible so that you can find a job.

-Meghan

I meant working as a 'graduate nurse', which I know a few of my classmates found a job before taking the NCLEX. I don't mean actually working as an RN w/o the NCLEX.

But they didn't start as a CNA either. I just don't think that would be helpful to me, and my professors didn't recommend that either.

I had a very extensive clinical experience and we did most of what CNAs do, in addition to learning nursing skills.

But how would the hospital know if I failed the NCLEX, iif I don't tell them. Is it something they can look up?

I just wanted to work as a graduate nurse.

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Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).
I meant working as a 'graduate nurse', which I know a few of my classmates found a job before taking the NCLEX. I don't mean actually working as an RN w/o the NCLEX.

But they didn't start as a CNA either. I just don't think that would be helpful to me, and my professors didn't recommend that either.

I had a very extensive clinical experience and we did most of what CNAs do, in addition to learning nursing skills.

But how would the hospital know if I failed the NCLEX, iif I don't tell them. Is it something they can look up?

I just wanted to work as a graduate nurse.

They can look it up by checking your status with the BON, and they will. You might look into the possibilty of an Extern/Intern position, but I think the GN ship sailed when you failed NCLEX. Bummer, I know, but you will get past this, pass NCLEX, and get a job as an RN. The CNA job, if you got one, would just be a paycheck (and a little more hands-on experience never hurts) until then.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I think a Nurse extern/intern position would be your best bet until you pass the N-CLEX. Good luck!

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Also, working as a CNA might give you an "in" with getting an RN job--if they're pleased with your work, they will want to keep you on as an RN if they can. Good luck.

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You can't work as a GN. Period.

Retake it.

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I think a Nurse extern/intern position would be your best bet until you pass the N-CLEX. Good luck!

I wish I could, but they seem to be available mostly to students, before graduation. I even asked my professors and they said internships are mostly for students, and externships were not offered by my school. The can't find any externships.

I guess this is harder than I thought.

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You can't work as a GN. Period.

Retake it.

I wish I knew that before I took the test. My advisor suggested to concentrate on studying for the NCLEX, and I even took a course in Kaplan, instead of immediately finding a graduate nurse job.

I have never been a good test taker. Yet, I had almost straight As in nursing school.

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Specializes in SICU.
I meant working as a 'graduate nurse', which I know a few of my classmates found a job before taking the NCLEX. I don't mean actually working as an RN w/o the NCLEX.

But they didn't start as a CNA either. I just don't think that would be helpful to me, and my professors didn't recommend that either.

I had a very extensive clinical experience and we did most of what CNAs do, in addition to learning nursing skills.

But how would the hospital know if I failed the NCLEX, iif I don't tell them. Is it something they can look up?

I just wanted to work as a graduate nurse.

You cannot work as a graduate nurse, so forget about it. If you try and get a job as one by lying then you run the risk of NEVER being allowed to take the test again. The BON takes a very dim view of nursing license fraud.

At this time your best course of action is to study and retake the nclex.

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