Published
I was just wondering....
news channel 13 finally reported on the difficulties of sacramento new grad rn's having a tough time getting a job.
i'm glad to see some truth in the news, instead of journalists reporting nursing as being recession proof.
here is the link:
I live in St. Louis MO. At least one of the hospitals in the St. Louis area has a hire freeze. The market is tough all over. I was speaking to a manager whom told me the hospital she works at is 7%+ under normal census. Illinois is having problems too. A friend whom is a traveler at an illinois hospital now stated that the hospital he is at, will no longer hire travel nurses in order to save money.
Well, I got good grades and even some awards and honors--as far as I can tell, they haven't helped me. What would have helped more was working as an intern or extern during school. There just aren't many jobs posted right now--most of them specify that they want someone who's been working for them.
Yes, do all your rotations at one hospital, this has helped all my friends that have graduated get jobs over those who insisted the multi-hospital was best experiance for them, yet they still have no job.
Yeh, most of the time, you don't. You can usually list three hospitals and the area in which you want to be placed for your senior practicum, but not your rotations.
Usually, if you do some clinical rotations at a hospital and you get to know the nursing managers and recruitment officers within the hospital, you have a good chance of being a top pick; if you're standing out! I was offered a position at the hospital where I did my medical surgical clinical rotations and then again at my internship hospital. You just have to force yourself to stand out, but not in an annoying way. Ask lots of questions, become eager to learn, work hard and do well. There's no written in stone way to do it, but you can force yourself to stand out in a group:)
Good luck, it took me over a year to find something and that was just this December I found something. I graduate in May 2007.
It's tough out there, but just be consistent with your phone calls, apply for every job, even the ones you may not fit. You never know, they may like your resume and take you on and spend the money to train you!
dmskoka
255 Posts
Thanks for the info. I am hoping to start an accelerated program next May, I just went to the info meeting.. in the san fran bay area and the director said that she is getting her students to start handing out there resume in January and they are graduating in May.. The programs I am applying for are super accelerated. It doesn't sound like you would be able to do any intership.. The last 6 weeks of the program you have a senior program where you work under someone in the hospital.. I have and am volunteering for a hospital since 2004.. Do you think that would help? The nurses do like me and the volunteer department has helped me with letters of recomendation to various nursing programs.
Thanks:paw: