Still searching....

Keep looking - I have 70 resumes out, only 2 interviews and both picked experience nurses over me...

Thanks, I will. Now i am trying to find a low cost online school with a good reputation to start the RN-BSN.

i hope you get something soon..

Me, too, I figure I'll start my BSN in January online. I got another interview for next week for an agency that does foster care and residential treatment, they have some on-campus nurses and also send nurses to foster homes to do checkups and respite. I also have a resume in to a nursing home for nuns, my dad recommended me to them cuz he helps them do funerals at their convent, waiting to hear back. I'm having much more luck with "non-traditional" jobs.

Good move....right now it is where ever the job as long as we get some experience, right? Next week i will start agency and whereever else that employs nurses, even jails:)

I am on the look out too for a job...**sighs** Over 800 applications three interviews and no job.

Hi and BELIEVE me i know how you feel. I keep trying to excercise my faith that there is a job out there for me (and there is).

Sometimes it mans that we have to help each other. I will Definately let you know if i hear anything.....

Update! A travel nursing position came thru for me for a local state psychiatric hospital - ironic cuz that's what I wanted to specialize in. It's only 32 hrs a week (2 weekend double shifts, yikes!) for 13 weeks but the pay is great and they even gave me orientation. I also may be able to develop it into a full time job, they said they've hired other travel RNs from my agency. Try to get a travel nursing job near home...

I also have a second interview on Tuesday for a local foster care/adoption agency/residential treatment for children, they have a waiver program where they need RNs or LPNs to do respite for foster kids who are medically fragile or emotionally disturbed, in the child's home and they will choose an assignment near my house. It's maybe 15-30 hrs a month. I'm hoping I can do this second job during the week, it's not many hours but good peds/psych experience.

Definitely the jobs that have come thru are the oddball ones. I highly recommend trying anything you can find, I didn't think I would get the travel nursing job as a grad RN but according to my agency I'm the second new grad they hired at this facility. I'm perfectly happy to take two part time jobs, I will be making a nice paycheck for a while and grab experience at the same time.

Hang in there, the jobs are definitely turning up.

congrats and thanks for the encouragement. Learn as much as you can.......

I am truly willing to work ANYWHERE.....does your agency service new york?

yes they are called supplemental health care, so far I've had good results and service from them, they are nationwide. Good luck!

thanks alot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I will let you know.....

called supplemental--buffaloo office seeing i live in new york and they said atleast 2 years EXPERIENCE.....i dont know if it depends on what state you are in..

I think it depends on the position, try several travel nursing companies. Many travel nursing jobs look for very skilled people, yes, but there are also temp assignments cuz they don't have the budget for new positions, need people to cover employees going on vacation, etc. This particular job I got was good for a new grad cuz skills you used in clinical, like meds and knowledge of mental illnesses in this case, were fine, I did not need to know how to start an IV or intensive med/surg experience cuz they don't really use it, and the rare times they do there is always someone to around to help.

The shifts I'm working are heinous, one of the reasons I think I got the job is no one in their right mind wants double shifts on the weekends (day and evening). If you're super flexible it helps.

Sell yourself as best as you can, especially if there are any skills you are really good at . I did tons of foleys during clinicals, which comes in handy for psych cuz urinary retention can be a side effect of the meds. I also had some geriatric experience from 20 years ago, including dementia, and have done foster care/adoption volunteer work on the side - foster kids often have serious trauma issues. In my opinion, it's not that relevant to adult psychiatric but I think it helped. Make a list of stuff you can use to sell yourself.

Someone also suggested to me that as we get closer to flu season, see if the local clinics, senior centers or county needs help with flu clinics. Also I was on the verge of doing voluntary work for a nonprofit clinic just to keep up my skills. You can also try contactng your school to see if they can recommend any community health work you can volunteer for or work part time or temp. There are community health screenings for blood pressure and diabetes, often with seniors.

ACLS is a nice thing, everyone perked up when they heard I had it. Don't know why, the crash cart at work has almost nothing in it - someone codes you call 911. I'm also going to take an IV certification course in october. Kind of useless since most hospitals want to certify you themselves, but it looks nice on a resume.

This is extreme, but a friend of a friend is going with her mid-wife professor to Honduras for a week to do maternity plus any first aid/med surg they need in a clinic. Might try asking your school if they know of any programs if you're interested.

If you're interested in working in the NYC area, look up Westchester hospitals on the internet, I don't know why but I keep hearing of people finding jobs in Westchester. Some of the hospitals there still have new grad programs too (Hudson Valley Hospital Center is one).

I hope this helps, I know it's frustrating but keep plugging, I met someone who graduated in 2009 and just got a job. I really think things are starting to open up more. Good luck!