RN going back to be a medical assistant

[nurse441]

New grad 7 months out and still no luck. I know a lot of new grads are feeling my frustration. i'm contemplating if I should be a medical assistant for awhile as a "foot in the door"... I tried everything from dr's office to even abortion clinics to hemodialysis to rehab. I always have good tailored cover letters, joined 2 professional organizations, ACLS, and a decent gpa. several years of volunteer work. I even applied out of state and hundreds of miles away..Nothing. I feel like i've hit the brick wall, 50+ apps later and 1 phone interview. and zero job. . Its 2010 and I feel like I need to change my job hunt strategies. I'm looking for some advice from experienced nurses if this would potentially "look bad" on my resume, or if its just plain waste of time. So far I have a friend who is doing the exact same thing and she seem to be getting internal connections to get RN interviews. This hospital is very prestigious and they are not hiring externally at all. I'm not picky at all what I do, but i'm pretty depressed from this whole situation. I feel like I'm in a complete slump... and I just need to do whatever I can at this point to be back in the hospital/ be productive. My question is Should a RN ever go back to be a medical assistant with a RN license, and will that be a concern for future employers that I didn't use my license and did something easier? I'm just very afraid it might look like I gave up on the RN job hunt and settle for a MA position

i pray that 2010 will change this horrible job situation around.

[DogWmn]

Please note, you can not work as an LPN/LVN without a license, just like an RN can not work without a license.

Have you tried volunteering at a hospital, LTC ect.??? Sometimes that might get your foot in the door while your waiting to find a job, when they see your face and learn your name it might help.

I hear your frustration, I'm a re-entry LPN because of the economy, I've been un-employed since May '08 so I'm returning to nursing.

I do wish you luck, and keep thinking outside the box to find a job.

[pennyaline]

thank you nurses for the replies.

I've heard various things about working as an assistant, MA, CNA, LVN etc under a RN license. Some people say that's against hospital rules due to legality issues (as mentioned above), but some employers are okay with you working for them, just be sure to practice under the scope of your job title. my friend got hired on the spot for the MA position without going back for any type of assistant training. The only thing i feel fortunate about is that i'm not on the pressure to pay bills.

YMMV of course, but for me it's difficult to believe that anyone hired into an MA position will be allowed to work for long without MA certification. As far as I know, certification is required in every state and it can't be gotten until one has completed an accredited MA course and externship first. CNA and nursing schools do not teach the medical emphasis of medical assisting. It is a different approach.

In the same vein, RNs, LVN/LPNs and MAs cannot work as CNAs until they train and certify as CNAs. RNs can not work as LPN/LVNs unless they have LVN/LPN licenses. That's the way it works.

[nurse441]

I like how DogWmn said to think outside the box. Just a couple minutes ago, my professor from nursing school e-mailed me about volunteer opportunities in 3 areas. The Skills Lab/ Medical-surgical Club (tutor nursing students)/ and Stimulation lab (hopefully to boost resume/ retain skills) I've also signed up for 3 other hospital volunteer opportunities a long time ago that starts in Feb if i decide to join. i'm trying my hardest to 'think outside the box' and try to stand out. i honestly wouldn't mind volunteering 30+ a week at several locations if thats what it takes.

if i do these volunteer opportunites, i probably will forgo the MA idea. i'm still undecided about which route to take. but from all your responses.. it sounds like MA is a pretty bad route for me to go right now. I really appreciate all your responses and guidance.

[ROLO]

Where do you live?

Try a headhunter...

Some of the level I, teaching facilities, take pride in their new grad programs, SO they are willing and prepared to take new grads... any of them around you?

[nurse441]

Where do you live?

Try a headhunter...

Some of the level I, teaching facilities, take pride in their new grad programs, SO they are willing and prepared to take new grads... any of them around you?

Bay Area California.I tried Headhunters also (agency). They didn't do anything for me. i'm around a lot of teaching facilities. Some get 600-1000 applications per 5 spots ugh... maybe i have a better chance winning the lottery :chuckle

[Katie5]

Not if you weren't hired as an RN.

You are to work within the scope of the position in which you are hired.

Good luck!

Thank you. Whatever happened to scope of practice? Especially if you weren't hired under that license.You didn't pay for an RN, you paid for a MA. And as such, you get what you paid for- the only difference being once a patient advocate, then always a patient advocate( at least for me), so your pesrpectve will always be different as wanting the best for the patient.

[Mulan]

Since you have a BSN, have you thought about joining the military?

[ROLO]

I recall, 20 years ago, when I was getting ready to start nursing school, and I HAD to work full-time. I figured that I would work as a nurse tech, so that I could get my foot in the door, and learn as much as I could. The big medical center, in the town where I was living, decided that they could not continue with trying to have an all-RN staff (no techs, no LPNs, etc.), and so they were hiring techs, just a few at a time, until they got the staff that they wanted... I CALLED THAT WOMAN IN HUMAN RESOURCES EVERY DAY FOR PROBABLY SEVERAL MONTHS, UNTIL ONE DAY SHE HAD TELL ME THAT I HAD A JOB!! I can still remember her name...because I talked to her every (almost every) day.

Point is, do EVERYTHING you can (if you haven't). Get e-mail addresses of nurse managers in areas in which you want to work, and e-mail them...tell them they need you & WHY they need you. GO to places...literally get up, get dressed, and go to some hospitals, vacancies or not, and tell someone who you are and that you want a job.

After I got that nurse tech job (one of like ten, and many, many more had applied), I worked on the floor for a while, and then heard that they were hiring in the emergency department (ED). The ED was where students needed to be b/c they got to see and to do A LOT. SO, I put my feelers out and fought for another job --and got it! I started working in the ED as a tech. And, when they hired "nurse externs" for the ED, I got that job, too. And, when they decided that they were going to hire two of us externs after we graduated, I WAS ONE OF THEM, TOO!

Not that you haven't, but sometimes it takes a lot of work to get that ideal job.

[rn865]

A person I know at one hospital forwarded my resume to her superiors and they considered me for an MA job while there are no RN positions yet. I only have a BSN degree with no MA training or anything like that. I have BLS certification also, which is required for the MA job. I'm going for an interview next week. It's not my first choice of course but I guess it will do for now. Just try applying, maybe they will hire you too. Good luck!

[thuylam09]

dont worry i think wit your experience you will be hired soon . good lluck my friend .

[JKDZ28]

Sorry your having trouble finding a job. My local hospital has 34 openings for RNs. They give priority to the local university students though. Keep searching something will come up!

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

With your RN you cannot work at a lesser medical position. No matter what the title you are going to be held to the RN standard of practice. Look up in Oregon or over in another less populated area. Ask a professor or another employed RN to read your resume or CV and critique.