Throwing a Wide Net in an Open Sea for Your First Nursing Job

[SouthernizedRN, ASN, RN]

When I was in nursing school I remember my instructors telling us that when we were ready to begin the search for our first jobs as young nurselings we would need to consider keeping ALL our options open. For many people those options can tend to be limited by various factors, such as location, family, or opportunity. Many people find getting their first nursing job difficult because of the job requirements. Many hospitals, especially Magnet want BSN AND 2 years of experience. Getting into Residency and New Grad programs can be limiting too, due to the number of times they run the program per year or the number of New Grads they take at any one time. My experience after graduation was not unique, but I was determined and persistent.

I began applying to local hospitals even before I had passed my NCLEX (in anticipation). I applied to ALL hospitals regardless of requirements because you never knew what could happen. My only limitation at the time was that I wanted to work in a hospital, not a skilled-nursing facility or hospice. The feedback I got locally was not encouraging, so I began to throw my net out a little farther. I started to apply to hospitals across my state. If there was a Residency or New Grad program I applied for them quickly as they filled quickly or closed soon. I didn't seem to have much luck with that either. I threw out my net a little further and began applying all along the West Coast. In the meantime, I had only been able to muster up 1 interview…locally. As the months moved along I still wasn't getting much interest. I received a whole mailbox full of Thank you, but…” letters.

I have family in the South, so I thought…Well, what have I got to lose? I had the flexibility to move. I had nothing tying me to my state. It would be a complete life change, as if nursing school hadn't already been. I applied for nursing licenses by endorsement in 2 states. The one I had family in and the state next door. I wanted them to take me seriously and having the license is as serious as it gets. Endorsement is easy as a new nurse. They use your NCLEX score for the endorsement. After two years to get a license by endorsement the states respective BRN's will use your work experience.

I began throwing that net out as far as I could. I had family in 3 different Southern states, so I was never too far away from someone. When I did begin applying in the South, I found I was getting much more interest. I was getting calls to the West coast for job interviews on the East coast. More interview options than I had before. It was at this point I made the decision to move in with family for a while to see what my options were in the South. I had more options for locations and types of positions. I was offered positions in Med Surg, OR, ICU and Neuro ICU. I settled on a position in OR as I saw it as an opportunity that does not come along often for new grads. It was through a Residency program. The program lasted a year, which is an oddity as many Residency programs may last weeks or months, but not a year.

Working in the OR was wonderful and difficult. It was a tremendous learning experience and definitely added to my confidence as the nurse I am today. After two years in OR I decided it would benefit me to move into another field to round out my nursing experience, so I took a position in Med Surg and work on a Medical floor in a small hospital. I get to know many of my patients well and I'm able to provide a level of patient care that I wasn't able to as an OR nurse. I love nursing as a whole and I love where I am at now. What I'm trying to say to the New Grad searching for their first job is that there needs to be a real willingness to spread that net far to find that first job. I was told you can work anywhere for two years to get to where you really want to be. I listened to that advice. So if you are having difficulty finding anything local, then you need to be willing to go as far out as it takes to get that job. It took me exactly 1 year and 1 week from graduation to get my first job. It also took me over 300 applications across the country and 2,000 miles to get that first job. I love where I live and I don't feel the need to move back.

Not everyone will have my experience and I really hope you don't, but be willing to throw that net far out into that ocean. You don't know what type of job you might land or to what exciting place it may take you. Good luck!!

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Congrat, and I'm sure many wil benefit from your story :)

One thing, though, concerning this comment:

. Endorsement is easy as a new nurse. They use your NCLEX score for the endorsement. After two years to get a license by endorsement the states respective BRN's will use your work experience.

I'm not sure where you got this information, but it's not really correct. You don't actually get a "score" on NCLEX, it's pass/fail only, so the BoN doesn't know how well you did, just that you passed the exam. But that isn't the only criteria used; a new grad still has to meet the requirements of whatever State he/she wishes to obtain a license from. Could be easy, could be not so easy, if the applicant didn't go to a school recognized by that State, doesn't have the required CEUs, etc.

The other part of what you said, that work history is considered on a applicant 2 years post-exam, just isn't correct either. An applicant can have no work history,or a ridiculously convoluted one; neither extreme has any bearing on whether a license will be issued. Only thing of interest will be that there are no sanctions, no disciplinary actions against applicant, and no criminal hx that could derail application. Work history itself isn't an issue at all.

As for the rest.....good stuff :)

[SouthernizedRN, ASN, RN]

RNsRWe, thank you for the correction. That was my understanding for the endorsements I applied for, but I understand what you are saying. The endorsements I applied for seemed to indicate that endorsement was more intricate if you had not been working for two years or were past your NCLEX by two years, maybe that's why I misunderstood it. I know the process was easy for me, but my experience is unique. I wanted to make sure that it was understood that it was unique and that it should in no way imply that some one else's should be the same. I should have used "pass" instead of "score" it is erroneous. What I hear from new nurses is "What did you do?". Also, I hear so many say "I don't understand why I can't find a job." I'll ask so what are you willing to do to get your first job?". Thank you again for the correction. I just wanted to provide some information regarding my willingness to spread myself out to let others know you may have to expand yourself to get there to your goal. Out of my graduating class I and one other student were willing to do this. Everyone else managed to get jobs locally.