Rejection Galore

Heavenlylola · Aug 23, 2012

Hi I'm a new grad and I'm going through the same thing as is many of my classmates. I got my first job in June as a camp nurse it was great but it's over. I have applied to many jobs and no response or denials saying I need 1 year experience. I Start bsn classes next week but it won't help unless u get the experience also. I hope you find something soon the job market is crazy right now.

DoGoodThenGo · Aug 23, 2012

It has gone from difficult to nearly impossible for new grads it seems at NYC hospitals, especially the top shelf healthcare systems such as NYU-Lagone, NYP, North Shore-LIJ.

Basically it's BSN (recent) grads with minimum 3.0 (NYU wants 3.5) overall nursing and science GPAs, and whatever else they throw into the mix (interships, externships, volunteer work, you or family member previously employed within the system, etc..)

Even after getting through the telephone calls from recruiters there are often more with nurse managers before the face to face meetings start. Being offered a position isn't the last word as a pharma exam is almost certain with passing at or close to 100%.

To the OP if the UES hospital you did volunteer work was Lenox Hill-NS-LIJ that place is going through major changes since being saved from nearly closing almost over two years ago.

According to the grapevine they are going to seek Magnet status and thus are moving to a BSN staff. That is looking for new hires to have their degree and trying (ok, telling if that is the right word) those ADN grads already there to get with the program. The few times one has been up there visiting friends who were patients noticed the place was staffed heavy with Phillipine nurses and by nights/evenings that pretty much all one saw.

If it's of any use or hope to you it does seem hospitals in upstate NY are hiring.

Keep on keeping on and good luck in your search.

sauconyrunner · Aug 23, 2012

I think much of the issue for you is that you are looking in NYC, which is a very tough job market.

As far as the pharma exam, that is pretty standard. For every job I have applied for in my life I have had to take a Pharma test, a EKG test and sometimes a specific test for my department before the interview.

I think you need to look more rurally, out towards the western part of the state. Some (not many) hospitals will have on site day care that can be deducted from a paycheck...

CP1983, BSN, RN, APRN, NP · Aug 23, 2012

Thanks everyone.

To DoGoodThenGo: Actually, it was HSS, not Lenox Hill. But that's interesting that they have lots of foreign nurses staff in the night. Hmmm, why is that that? Yeah, I can see Lenox Hill going through changes especially with LIJ taking them over. I didn't know they were struggling financially, so interesting. Lenox Hill is a really good hospital, I did one of my rotations there and staff is unbelievably nice. Very clean and up to standard.

To sauconyrunner: Wow, I never had interviews before so I wasn't aware that you were pretested (pharm exam, EKG exam) That's kinda scary because I can probably do good on the pharm exam but I'm not too good with an EKG. When my sister volunteered thru Project Healthcare at Bellevue, she said the volunteers were doing EKGs but it's nothing hard. When you say rural, can you give me names of areas? I am not familiar with rural areas and when that comes to mind, I do think of the south. I have some family in Walterboro, SC and it's definitely rural, pure dirt roads, every store is like miles away; a car is required, not preferred, :).

To Heavenlylola: Congrats on being a camp nurse and to me, that's something! I can't believe they wouldn't count that as experience. I mean, after doing so much research, getting that acute hospital experience is not everything. Home health care nurses actually have to do alot as well and sometimes they give IVs. It may not be fast paced but it's definitely something. But even the home health care nursing positions wants me to have experiences to.

Thanks again everyone for the comments and motivation. Good luck as well, :)

CP1983, BSN, RN, APRN, NP · Aug 23, 2012

To DoGoodThenGo: Actually, it was HSS, not Lenox Hill. But that's interesting that they have lots of foreign nurses staff in the night. Hmmm, why is that that? Yeah, I can see Lenox Hill going through changes especially with LIJ taking them over. I didn't know they were struggling financially, so interesting. Lenox Hill is a really good hospital, I did one of my rotations there and staff is unbelievably nice. Very clean and up to standard.

Solymar · Aug 24, 2012

I'm sorry you're having a hard time finding employment! I'm also in the NYC market with a BSN and am having a hard time finding jobs to apply to that do not require prior experience. I went to an open house at the VNSNY and there were a lot of nurses. I, unfortunately, didn't even get to the interview room because they were not hiring for their Nurse Intern program (designed for RNs with less than 1 year of experience).

Hope your persistence pays off before your funds run out, I would definitely follow up with phone calls to the places that you have already applied (that is certainly what I'm doing).

Good luck!

DoGoodThenGo · Aug 24, 2012

To DoGoodThenGo: Actually, it was HSS, not Lenox Hill. But that's interesting that they have lots of foreign nurses staff in the night. Hmmm, why is that that? Yeah, I can see Lenox Hill going through changes especially with LIJ taking them over. I didn't know they were struggling financially, so interesting. Lenox Hill is a really good hospital, I did one of my rotations there and staff is unbelievably nice. Very clean and up to standard.

Well one only said they were Phillipine, don't know if they are "foreign", *LOL*

Could just be a change in nursing administraion since NS-LIJ took over and that is being reflected in hiring practices.

Lenox Hill was sitting very near the window's edge around the same time Saint Vinny's was going though it's death rattles. A proposed merger with Mount Sinai to the north didn't pan out (most of the LH physicans have privileges at MS as well), and it seemed no one else was interested either. Despite the great name,history, reputation and often *ahem* rich and famous patients Lenox Hill was suffering the same problems all small independent hospitals in NYC were and still are going through.

In the end for the most part the shock of Saint Vinny's closing seemed to have driven LH into the arms and deep pockets of NS-LIJ (the latter paid all cash for the transaction, which shows you who is telling who to "say my name" *LOL*.

From what one understands LH's ER is now more busy now than before and admissions of all manner and sort of patients are up. Gotta keep those beds full ya know.

DoGoodThenGo · Aug 24, 2012

Thanks everyone.
To DoGoodThenGo: Actually, it was HSS, not Lenox Hill. But that's interesting that they have lots of foreign nurses staff in the night. Hmmm, why is that that? Yeah, I can see Lenox Hill going through changes especially with LIJ taking them over. I didn't know they were struggling financially, so interesting. Lenox Hill is a really good hospital, I did one of my rotations there and staff is unbelievably nice. Very clean and up to standard.
To sauconyrunner: Wow, I never had interviews before so I wasn't aware that you were pretested (pharm exam, EKG exam) That's kinda scary because I can probably do good on the pharm exam but I'm not too good with an EKG. When my sister volunteered thru Project Healthcare at Bellevue, she said the volunteers were doing EKGs but it's nothing hard. When you say rural, can you give me names of areas? I am not familiar with rural areas and when that comes to mind, I do think of the south. I have some family in Walterboro, SC and it's definitely rural, pure dirt roads, every store is like miles away; a car is required, not preferred, :).
To Heavenlylola: Congrats on being a camp nurse and to me, that's something! I can't believe they wouldn't count that as experience. I mean, after doing so much research, getting that acute hospital experience is not everything. Home health care nurses actually have to do alot as well and sometimes they give IVs. It may not be fast paced but it's definitely something. But even the home health care nursing positions wants me to have experiences to.
Thanks again everyone for the comments and motivation. Good luck as well, :)

So much is going on right now in terms of healthcare and NYC/NYS is one of the most expensive places in the USA to build, run and or provide health services that any little thing can set off chain reactions.

Between the financial/credit crisis of the past few years and the recession which followed both the NY state's and local government's balance sheets are hurting. In the past each would have borrowed their way out of a temporary mess, but that source is tapped out as well. The other option would have been to raise taxes, but since we already pay some of the highest in the nation, people have made it clear to elected officals that ship has sailed. Instead all you hear is cuts, cuts, cuts.

The other problem is something that has been known to NYC and NYS officals for years. There simply are (or were) too many inpatient hospital and nursing home beds in many areas of the state all going after the same populations. In order for some to survive others would have to go. Sadly the state and local areas dragged their feet and now the market place in all it's cruelty is doing the dirty work for them.

It wasn't that long ago NYC area hospitals like others were engaged in an arms race to add new inpatient beds. Now they are closing units down, laying off staff and otherwise shrinking. What growth/building is happening is in outpatient/ambulatory care services. All over NYC you see various hospital affliated clinics and such sprouting up. Between NYP and MSKCC York Avenue and the surrounding area is fast becoming one big construction site as each annouce plans for new outpatient buildings.

Before I shut my mouth must address the huge imbalance of healthcare in NYC.

We have quite allot of poor, working poor, illegal immigrant, lower middle class and even middle class persons who either lack insurance or are under insured. Even those with coverage are likely to have it via Medicare or Medicaid. This places a huge financial drain on hospitals, especially safety net/charity facilities. If you look at all the places that have shut down over the past six years most every single one was a major provider of charity care.

Of all the NYC hospital systems IIRC only one or two actually have anywhere near healthy balance sheets. One is NS-LIJ (who has been on a shopping spree lately buying up places left and right), the others are MSKCC and perhaps Mount Sinai, NYU and NYP to an extent. The rest are in various states of red ranging from pink to blood blue.

Nursing service is one of the highest costs for a hospital and in the NYC area because of high living costs that goes double. To control those costs places are using various ways to either get more from the staffing they have, and or find ways to deliver care using *cheaper* staff.

All this is occuring with enrollment at area nursing schools off the charts and record numbers of new graduates pouring out each year. If that wasn't enough you have experienced and new graduate nurses from NJ, LI, Conn, Westchester and upstate NY willing to commute into the city, *and* those from all over the country for various professional and personal reasons moving here as well.

Right now all eyes are on Brooklyn. Wyckoff, Interfaith, Downstate and a few others are in various stages of "bad" and sooner or later one or more may close or merge. Either way you're looking at layoffs and a loss of yet another place for nurses to be employed.

biblepoet · Aug 25, 2012

Have you tried correctional nursing they hired without experience worked their for a yr. Then I was able to get a acute trauma hospital in Indiana.

wish_me_luck, BSN, RN · Aug 25, 2012

Hey, so I am brand new out of school and haven't taken boards yet. So, I am in your situation as far as being brand new. I read your post and something stuck out to me. Well, two things. Yes, I think you should go on for your BSN and also, you said you weren't that great at EKGs. Start there--take an EKG class. They can be expensive but that may give you the "one up" on your competition. You aren't the only one who has trouble with EKGs; but you can fix that. Then, add it to your resume that you took the class. It shows that you are willing to further your education and work on your weaknesses in addition to the pretesting thing. I know where I am, the nurses on certain floors (cardiac, neuro, and maybe respiratory in addition to critical care units) have to take an EKG class because they are more likely to see an abnormal rhythm.

I have found that in new graduate world, it's not enough to draw on your clinical experience. You have to sell yourself. It's okay to say you don't have experience but follow up with "but this is what I can offer you".

From one new graduate to another- Good luck.

CP1983, BSN, RN, APRN, NP · Aug 26, 2012

Hmm, haven't thought about it but will look into it. The most I can think of is Riker's Island, that is the closest to me. How was your experience is in the correctional facility? What did you like and dislike about it? What were your typical responsibilities and did they provide training? Thanks, :)