So Much For Nursing Shortage!!!!!!!!!!

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Hi I am so ****** off and i guess i can't vent to nursing HR i decided to do it here. So here's what going on. I have been an LPN for seven years got my RN in 2007 but still i don't have a hospital job. I have been working with bayada and other nursing agency doing rehab, nursing home and i worked at couple of hospital in ocean county as cardiac nurse. I have all certifications ACLS, BLS, VENT, TRACH . I decided to go to south jersey hospital in atlantic county and apply there. After so many years of being a nurse i want to work either in ICU OR ER only. I got two interviews in for this hospital since a month ago but no final word yet from the hr. During my interview i saw and they said also there were 200 applications for nursing positions and yes THERE IS NO MORE NURSING SHORTAGE actually we now have overflow of nurses. 3-4 years ago they had to go to phillipines to get nurses but that's long over now. Its going to be like engineering degrees where now engineers with 4-5 years of college from universities like stanford in cali are dog walkers. I am so angry, depressesd and ****** off at the same time. I have two young kids i busted my ass to go to RN school all day worked nights took care of 3 and 5 year old kids and now i can't find a decent job which i like. I don't even know what to say to my friends who are in nursing school and looking for a brighter future. This is the state of nurses in nj don't know what's going on in other states yet.:banghead:

Specializes in Cardio.

there is no nursing shortage..

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Specializes in ER, PACU, Med-Surg, Hospice, LTC.

Where I live, the Sheriff's Department was hiring.

The Nurse Recruiter that I spoke with told me they had over 500 applicants for 20 positions.

Shortage? Hmmmmm...................

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Specializes in SICU.

Part of your problem might be your requirement of ONLY going to the ER or ICU. Both these places have long and expensive orientations. You might have 7 years nursing experience but you don't have 7 years hospital nursing experience. Of your 7 years most was in rehab and nursing homes as an LPN (this is from your OP).

Hospitals seem to hire for these positions [if you have no experience in these areas] either new grads which they can mold or from in-house. You might have better luck looking and obtaining a job if you look for a job which matches your experience such as CCU. Then after they get to know you and your in-house you can transfer to your desired place, be it ER or ICU.

Just as a side the ER and ICU are very different places to work, you should find out which is more suited to you and go for it.

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Specializes in Cardiac, Maternal-child, LDRP, NICU.

Thanks uk student but i do have 5 years of hospital experience as a float nurse as an lpn though. I was always a vey willing Lpn eager to learn and know everything that's why i pursued my RN degree. But you are right i guess i was looking only for ICU or ER positions, and i got in trouble. Now i have started applying to different other positions and once i put my foot in the door after certain time i can always transfer out. It just sucks i guess for too long i was one of those nurses who did enjoyed nursing shortage, been in demand and actually demanding outrageous salary, i at one point was able to get assisgment for $100/hr and that;s when i still was an Lpn. So now i guess i have to face this reality check bite my bullet and start with starting salary.

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Specializes in Peds( NICU-Burn- adultICU 8 yrs-ER-GI.

I moved from FL to NJ in 1998- as a LPN with all the credentials- and was ****** I could not find a job in a hospital also!

Now I am in RN program- will grad May 2009-I have been a LPN for 25 yrs! I do have a hospital job - but it took me 7 yrs>?

I always said there was no nursing shortage here!

I hope to pass the boards - and get the heck outta NJ!

I share your angish!

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

Seeing how hard for you guys it is in NJ to get a job makes me really thankful that I've got a good one :>(

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Same situation in philadelphia. I'm right across the bridge and Jefferson and Methodist have a hiring freeze. Yeah, they had scholarship students they had to find positions for.

Like one of the posters said, you may have to move to where the jobs are. I was stupid keep looking for jobs here. I have a stellar resume and i've always gotten the externships i wanted into the big hospitals here. But i haven't heard anything back. A little application to hospitals in Baltimore and all of them responded back in about a day, one top hospital there got back to me in less than 12 hours. I applied that night, got the email with interview the next morning.

I thank God for helping me look past the situation here. I love philly but i also need to get a job and while i hate to move, i don't mind.

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Same situation in philadelphia. I'm right across the bridge and Jefferson and Methodist have a hiring freeze. Yeah, they had scholarship students they had to find positions for.

Like one of the posters said, you may have to move to where the jobs are. I was stupid keep looking for jobs here. I have a stellar resume and i've always gotten the externships i wanted into the big hospitals here. But i haven't heard anything back. A little application to hospitals in Baltimore and all of them responded back in about a day, one top hospital there got back to me in less than 12 hours. I applied that night, got the email with interview the next morning.

I thank God for helping me look past the situation here. I love philly but i also need to get a job and while i hate to move, i don't mind.

Proverbs, congrats on getting a job in Baltimore so quickly! :) Where did you hear about the Jefferson hiring freeze? Did their HR department tell you that?

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