I am a new grad ADN actively seeking my BSN who is thinking about throwing in the towel. I had plans to acquire my MSN but now don't see a reason. I even took a pay cut and gave up 22 years seniority in another career for nursing. I live in Arizona and have found that with an ADN you are not desirable as a nurse. I have put out over 200 applications and the only thing I could land was my worst nightmare...a SNF.
In this facility I am basically a higher educated med passer who can hang the occasional IV. There is no time to assess patients because you have 20-30 of them and reports are a joke. I am losing my skills with each passing day.
In the last week I've had two interviews for a PCU position with Banner and another one set for today for med-surg but they put a halt to everything and cancelled since I do not have a BSN. Eventhough I am working on it they still refused me because of their magnet status.
So here is the dilemma. I am a new grad working in a place for "experience" where I am losing my skills and cannot get into a new grad program because I do not have a BSN. So by the time I graduate with my BSN in 1.5 years and have lost my skills I do not qualify for the new grad program because I will have had my license for over a year.
Because of this it will take me who knows how many years to acquire two years experience in critical care before I can pursue an MSN in the field I was working towards.
I am currently 45 years old and do not have time for these kinds of delays because of oncoming retirement and the cost of the education.
I feel defeated and betrayed plus I'm starting to dispise the nursing profession. I just don't know if it's worth it. I got into this profession to help people but I do not see anybody getting any real help from my current prospective. Help.
snider1970, a friend of mine just got hired in Flagstaff as a new grad ADN into OB where she wanted to be. If you can try some of the more rural parts of AZ you may have better luck.
I think anyone who goes into an ADN program now is really taking a risk, even a BSN is a risk at this point, but for those who started the process several years ago it wasn't as widely known that we'd have such a glut.
But I can see how someone could feel betrayed by the mere fact that the nursing organizations are not coming down on these ADN programs that continue to perpetuate this false shortage and churn out graduates who are unemployable.
I have an ADN and am also actively working towards a BSN. I should be done within the year.
When I graduated with my ADN- the first job I had for two years was in a SNF. I understand how you feel, like you are a "Highly educated med passer." But I want to encourage you to look for opportunities there. I have always maintained that EVERY PATIENT encounter is a chance to learn something new. Even if they are not in an acute care setting. Really, nursing is the study of the person. So do things like look up your client's history and physicals if you get a chance. See if they have something that you could practice your assessment skills on-for example, heart murmurs. Ask yourself why they are on the medications that they are on. Even if their labs are done once a week, educate yourself about their lab work. From my experience, you can learn a lot in SNF if you look for it. (And your geriatric assessment skills will be top notch!)
And you might learn other skills there that will come in handy down the road, like delegation, conflict management, incident reporting etc.
I currently work in a hospital, on a Med-Surg floor, and have for the last 2+ years. My time in a SNF helped me tremendously.
I encourage you to stick it out, learn as much as you can there, and finish your BSN-if you think it is something you can do. 1.5 years of school, maybe 1 year on a general Med-Surg floor, then maybe critical care? Who knows where you can go? But I want to tell you that I don't believe that SNF is a career killer, because it certainly wasn't for me.
Then you can go into an interview and turn that SNF around into a great learning experience and make them really want to hire you!
If you enroll in a BSN program and you put "currently enrolled in RN to BSN program at XYZ university" on your resume, you have a very high chance of getting an interview.
You, know, to be honest, it never occurred to me to do any research about nursing as a career. I just assumed that I would easily always be employed as long as I wasn't a screw-up.
Same here. I had started nursing school at the time when there was a true shortage and nurses were pretty much writing their own tickets...in fact, those were the workds of the head of the nursing program on the first day of orientation.
Then, the economy tanked and with it, the job market...and there ended the nursing shortage. My classmates and I had to scramble for whatever jobs we could get, never minding trying to get into our desired specialties. Some of us ended up where we wanted to be, either right away after graduation or making our way over there down the road. Others weren't so fortunate.
Same here. I had started nursing school at the time when there was a true shortage and nurses were pretty much writing their own tickets...in fact, those were the workds of the head of the nursing program on the first day of orientation.
Then, the economy tanked and with it, the job market...and there ended the nursing shortage. My classmates and I had to scramble for whatever jobs we could get, never minding trying to get into our desired specialties. Some of us ended up where we wanted to be, either right away after graduation or making our way over there down the road. Others weren't so fortunate.
Even today, now that I have read the details on AN many times over, and experienced the lack of opportunity first hand, for every media blurb about the reality of opportunity in nursing, there remain about eight media blurbs insisting there is a nursing "shortage". No wonder people have consistently had the wool pulled tight over their eyes before signing on the nursing dotted line.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
OP have you looked into LTAC nursing?
LTACH is long term acute care hospital. They are licensed as acute care. These facilities have intensive care units and very sick patients. These patients have multiple co-morbidities and complex diagnosis/wounds that need the care of the hospital but have "run out" of acute days. You will work hard but you will get the experience you seek.
[h=1]Job Description
[/h]Registered Nurse - ICU - Full Time - Nights - Kindred Hospital - Phoenix ([h=1]Job Number:[/h] 210633)
[h=2]Description
[/h] About the Opportunity
The ICU Nurse/RN will deliver quality patient care by contributing to the nursing care-plan from admission to discharge. The ICU Nurse/RN will prepare assessment of patient's progress and keep family informed. The ICU Nurse/RN will monitor pain management procedures. The ICU Nurse/RN will participate in the discharge-planning process. The ICU Nurse/RN will ensure current and accurate patient documentation. The ICU Nurse/RN will supervise ancillary staff members.
[h=2]Qualifications
[/h] The ICU Nurse/RN Candidate will need:
The ICU Nurse/RN will have excellent communication, interpersonal, and computer skills.
The ICU Nurse/RN will have knowledge of medication-administration procedures.
The ICU Nurse/RN will have at least six months Medical/Surgical experience in an acute-care setting are preferred. Critical Care experience preferred.
The ICU Nurse/RN will have a BCLS certification; ACLS preferred.
The ICU Nurse/RN will have a current state RN license.
The ICU Nurse/RN will have a Bachelors degree in Nursing, an Associates degree, or a Nursing diploma from an accredited Institution.
When I was in nursing school, we had class and internship at least 4 days a week, up to 7 days a week. And the shift were all 12-hour shift, plus the driving, I mean, how could you work 60 hours a week and attending nursing school at the same time? It doesn't sounds like the time is allowed. or the driver job was on night shift? I am just wondering.
I feel betrayed by the industry not anyone in particular and I stated that I left a better paying job to show that I was not in nursing for the money. The only thing I expected to happen what I was told by other nurses and teachers while in my nursing program but then being in the military you know how it feels to be fed a line of crap. I too did my research as to where I wanted to work and what the policies were for hiring but a lot of these changes came recently with the oncoming reforms in healthcare.
As far as having next to no money while going to nursing school that is your own fault. I worked 60 hours a week as local tractor trailer driver while I attended classes. I caught valley fever and had my lung collapse twice, had three liters of fluid drained off my left pleura twice and still never missed a class. I got the job done. So like me, you'll get no sympathy.
While we are speaking of sympathy, I was not asking for any. I am writing to see if there others who are or have dealt with the same situations and asking for help to figure out what could be a viable solution. Thanks for the positive input BTW, you made it clear that empathy is not one of your nursing strong suits.
When I was in nursing school, we had class and internship at least 4 days a week, up to 7 days a week. And the shift were all 12-hour shift, plus the driving, I mean, how could you work 60 hours a week and attending nursing school at the same time? It doesn't sounds like the time is allowed. or the driver job was on night shift? I am just wondering.
I can kinda relate to an extent. I am a NEW Grad RN--ADN with only 5 months of experience. I entered into NC with a new grad job in a med-surg area. with me, they did tell me I would have to sign a contract to agree to get my BSN within 3 years from the date I was hired. They offer assistance with tuition and I am okay with that. MY problem is the patient to nurse ratio. Most days we work with 5 nurses on a 34 bed unit with 7 patients a piece with the Charge nurse having 6 patients. Good days are having 6 patients which is very rare. My floor has tele, psych, alcoholic patients and involuntary committed patients as well. Its SOOOO busy and sooo much responsibility I cannot function some days and it burns me out quick! I started to think I need to QUIT! but I am praying about it and will try to last one year. i do want to further my education because its my passion to NUrse. I love it but when management doesn't seem to care and You clocking out at 9:30pm on a 7a-7p job consistently it gets tough. so my advice to you is yes maybe try to stick it out then go back to school and search in another location before you throw in the towel. SOmetimes $$$$ isn't everything its the quality and your passion for your job. Keep applying and do NOT stop!!!! :)
Red Kryptonite
2,212 Posts
snider1970, a friend of mine just got hired in Flagstaff as a new grad ADN into OB where she wanted to be. If you can try some of the more rural parts of AZ you may have better luck.