RN with no experience...

ijuanabhappy, ASN, RN · Aug 5, 2011

Have you called all of the hospitals in your surrounding areas to speak with a nurse recruiter? Usually hospitals have new grad internships or residency programs. Sometimes you have to make cold calls to floor managers, meaning just call the hospital operator and ask for a particular floor (ex: 6west med surg floor), and then when they answer, ask to speak with their nurse director/manager. Sell yourself.

It is difficult to get hospital jobs right now. Have you checked out dialysis centers in your area? Many times they are open to new grads. Some of the companies are DaVita, Fresenius (sp?), and Satellite. There are also the LTC facilities (nursing homes). Many times you have to call around and talk to people or go in person with your resume.

That's great that you have your BSN. That opens many doors. I look on Craigslist.com and Indeed.com everyday for jobs. I know what you are going through. Something will come through, just keep applying. Good luck!

sherineb · Aug 5, 2011

thank you so much. I will definitely try those options.

sherineb · Aug 5, 2011

RNLeroy: Thanks. I just applied. Hope to hear from them soon.

trauma_lama, BSN · Aug 5, 2011

i know wakemed has a new grad program...not always positions listed for it on the website, but if you go to main campus and meet with someone in HR (near the cafeteria) they are very helpful and often know of opportunities that may not be posted yet...and i havent done it at the wakemed cary campus, but my guess is western wake might be the same way. check out HR face to face! good luck :-)

SpelaD · Aug 5, 2011

I accepted their RN offer...I am really looking forward to start working. I am having no luck at all finding a job at a hospital.

Telelizard · Aug 5, 2011

You can volunteer at the hospitals in your area & try to make connections so that when there is a new grad position available, they will consider you. Make sure that they do hire new grads beforehand though. You can also contact your clinical instructors from nursing school (they usually work part time in hospitals) and see if they can recommend you. I just graduated in May & a few of my classmates got jobs in these ways.

Oh, you should also spend a good amount of time tweaking your resume/cover letter so that it stands out Good luck!

WillowNMe · Aug 6, 2011

Wake med in Cary has a new grad program. I had applied for a position there as well as their campus in Raleigh. REX has an awesome grad program, which isn't super far away from Cary. Duke has GEMs and another new grad program.. Also good programs. A lot of them might be closed by now, but I still contact them. I had gone down to network, and that helped a lot. I was able to meet with the directors of the new grad programs, various nurse managers, etc.

MombearNurse · Aug 6, 2011

I'm not sure what happened with your application. Especially with your immunization experience. They are definitely hiring but apply now! I constantly receive emails from them stating that they are about to launch their online training program again for the year and since I was hired last year (I was a new grad with zero experience), I was easily re-hired this year without much involved. Just have to resubmit copies of licenses, etc. They sent me an email asking if I was interested in working again this year and I just had to reply to the email that I was.
Good luck!

I was hired this year with no experience. I just graduated with an ADN and can't find a full time job so this is just what the doctor ordered... for the moment! :yeah:

WeirdNurseKelly, BSN, RN · Aug 6, 2011

SN 2012. I don't know what you can do about working as a medical assistant. You may have a chance at a position BUT you would have to contact them. The worst they could say is no. Maybe state in your cover letter you know they are looking for a medical assistant but thought you would be a good fit for their opening because...........(insert why here).

Medical assistants vary from state to state and clinic to clinic. I went to school for 18 months, I have an associates degree in applied science as a medical assistant. I was able to sit for the American Associates for Medical Assitants (AAMA) test and become a certified medical assistant. Kind of like us after we finish shool to get our RN license. This is a CERTIFICATION though, not a license.

Medical assistants are trained, but by no means trained to assess like LPNs or RNs. It is much different training. It is more of learning a skill rather than a career. You learn certain diseases and some drugs but nothing like nursing school. You learn how to do injections and be able to give some kind of teaching to those who you administer injections too but VERY vague. Medical Assistants can draw blood, collect secimens, assist with minor office procedures (I assisted with circumcisions, but it was more towards tending to the newborn and handig things to the physician). They do VERY basic things, and have a very limited scope of practice.

Think of yourself as going to the doctors office. A lot of clinics and practicis hire medical assistants because they are cheaper than hiring an LPN or RN (max I made was 14.10/hour). If you go to the doctor, more than likely the person who escorted you to the exam room, took your vitals, maybe administered an injection or breathing treatment (no respiratory assessment by the MA after this is done), gave you instructions on urine specimen collection or prep for a nuclear scan, etc, etc, was medical assistant.

Some believe that medical assistants are a little scary because they are not licensed, BUT they are highly knowledgable in what they do (if they are good, just like being a nurse). We all have different trades. Hope this helps.

sherineb · Aug 15, 2011

i have been calling LTC facilities and one finally called me for an interview. She said that she has more interviews and i dont know what that means.. Should I have my hopes high?

sherineb · Aug 17, 2011

it has been 3-4 days since my interview and still no reply. What does that mean? I have been calling all the LTC facilities and hospitals around and no luck. Couldn't somebody give us, newgrads, a chance? I am feeling hopeless...