Hey guys, I highly encourage you to try hard and strive for excellence during your nursing school career.
But I just came here to vent, because I have graduated from a BSN nursing program last year, May 2014.
Come to find out that several of my FEMALE nursing classmates are working as some kind of RN. Whether it's in a care home, long-term assisted living facility, an acute-care hospital job (which is very hard to get here in my area, if you have ZERO experience as an RN!!!), several of my FEMALE classmates have RN jobs.
Life is so #(*U#$*^%# unfair!
For me, I have been working as a nurse aid/tech at a hospital in my area, since July of last year.
I am proud to work for the facility that I work for.
However, I have passed my NCLEX-RN board exam, have my state RN license, yet I am working as a tech?
Here in my neck of the wood, you have to work as an aide/tech for certain amount of time before you're eligible to apply for an RN new graduate program. This program is offered at the hospital that I work for. However, to get admitted into this program,...there is stiff/high competition. I also heard through the grapevine that applicants need to be a member of one of the hospitals committee to get into this program. So far, I am not invited to join a committee, let alone, I have asked one of the floor managers if I could join his committee, only to have him change the date and time of meeting last minute, to prevent me from attending the montly meeting (which I thought was downright dirty!).
Anyhow, getting back to the point of my thread, I found out last week that a female classmate of mine, who was a good friend of mine, is working as a med-surg RN at a hopsital in town!
She has zero experience in acute care nursing. Yet, how the hell did she get hired to work med-surg at that hospital?!!!
For me, I am working as an aide, waiting to apply for a new graduate position.
I have also submitted job applications for RN positions at other hospitals in my area, only to get no phone calls, or when I call their HR office, they tell me that my application is on "hold" because there are no openings available.
Furthermore, I also saw another female classmate's picture, in one of the local newspaper's article (featured a story about that hospital's healthcare system). The caption read " XXXXX (
For her, I am happy and proud that she's now working and getting RN PAY RATE.
But for me, I am getting flustered and frustrated that I am 'behind the curve' not getting paid what I should get paid, not using my RN skills that i have learned in school.
I don't know guys.
Overall, I still feel that there is heavy discrimination against males when it comes to the hiring process of RN's and even nurse aides/techs, in not only my area, but other parts of the US.
I am also upset because I called up that former friend classmate, asking her about her job, how she likes it, etc, only to have me leave her a voicemail to call me back. I also sent her a text message and email, asking her to email me back, or call me back.
So far, no phone calls.
Seems like my former classmate and friends in school are smug/complacent that they're working as RN's, while as for me, I am dreading everyday, and waiting and waiting for me to get admitted into my hospitals "new graduate" program for nurses who recently graduated from school, with zero/zilch nursing experience.
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ParkerBC,MSN,RN, PhD, RN
886 Posts
I can't speak to your personal experience, but I am happy to share mine. Each nursing position for which I applied (after graduation), I received an interview. I graduated in 2011 when it was also difficult for new grads to secure a nursing position. When I was called in for an interview, I would ask the recruiter why I was selected for an interview out of all of the applicants. Over and over I was told because my resume/CV was easy-to-read. So, I would think the first step is to make sure your resume is easy-to-understand. I can send a copy of mine to you if you would like.
The interview is the next important step. I cannot tell you how important it is to be a human being during the interview. This is the opportunity to demonstrate your soft skills. You must be personable and include everyone who is interviewing you in the conversation. I make eye contact with each person sitting across from me. When I am speaking, I am including everyone. That shows confidence and your ability to command attention. You are also demonstrating respect.
There are always two questions I ask at the end of an interview. First, do you mind sharing with me the needed attributes to be a successful team member? Do you mind providing me constructive feedback of our interview? The first indicates to me whether or not I would be a good fit with the team. If you are asked to shadow a nurse, ask her/him the same question. If I do not possess the attributes needed, I won't waste my time. I was told once that I cannot be afraid to lift. That was a red flag. I was not going to work with a team where I was going to be the lifting person. So, I declined the offer of employment. Finally, ask how the interview went. Ask in which areas you can use improvement. Most will be honest and tell you. This is how I have, over the years, been offered multiple positions. I took the feedback to heart and made the necessary changes.
I started working for a school of nursing. After I was hired, the dean told me that she is happy I am onboard because she wanted a guy to be the male nursing students' advocate. I didn't get the position because I am a guy. There was one other male interviewing. But it has been my experience that I landed positions because I interview well and because of my experience, although limited.
Good luck to you.