I graduated in 2009 with a BSN. I have been looking for my first RN position for almost 6 years. I have applied for over 257 positions and have been granted 5 interviews. These interviews have resulted in responses that run for not enough experience to the position and/or interview were held to meet hiring requirements.
I have worked several weeks in a nursing home (not a good experience- too many residents) and in a summer camp. I cannot move far away from where I live and working nights are hard (family situation). I am over 50 years old.
Here is my question- is it time to quit looking for an RN position? Would getting more education (MSN or DNP) help? Should I re-train in a another medical related field (surgical technician or medical lab) or will that make me overqualified?
I need to get my life moving forward rather than stuck in neutral or going backward. What do you think?
Also, how have you networked? In places where you volunteered, could the volunteer department put in a word for you? Your former classmates? Some of them are probably well entrenched within their organizations - maybe they can help?
If you've done everything you can and are willing to do and still haven't found a job in 6 years, yes it is probably time to rethink your career, at least at present.
In the future when you're able to be more flexible you may be able to get into nursing. There's no shame in not being able to work as a nurse. You've got more important things to do right now, like caring for your father.
As for the gap in employment, I would spin that with discussion of caring for your elderly father-really talk up any remote use of nursing skills.
I would stop even trying for inpatient-EVERYONE starts on nights in the hospital.
You seem very defensive and angry in your posts, just an observation not an accusation-it is how you come off. In nursing you need to slap on a smile and a happy tone no matter what. I'd start practicing that now. I have had coworkers, doctors, patients, and families be unfair and rude to me but I don't react, you just can't in this line of work.
You are excited to start working after finally catching your breath with regards to family obligations ....stick to that and apply in psych and out patient only :)
Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.
i hire nurses, your inflrxibility, would not make you a canidate in my clinic.....however, clinic nursing might just meet your desires....honestly, consider dr. iffices...it is day time, usually no weekends, and major holidays off
I read your last post and I'm not sure why you are not getting hired, but it sounds like there is a red flag somewhere that is coming up when people look at your resume, or when you interview. If you are willing to go into debt for more education, instead maybe invest a professional life coach to make yourself appear more marketable.
I cannot agree more. OP, I don't know you or your particular circumstances other than what you have shared in your post and responses. Based on your words and the apparent mindset in which those words are conveyed, it seems like you are self-sabotaging. You provide an excuse/reason/answer for every bit of advice you've received.
Based soley on your statements, it does not seem that your heart is in nursing.
Maybe the things that are preventing you from obtaining a position ( no working nights, only acute care) are non-negotiable to you, and if so, that's okay. My advice would be to do some introspection and planning to evaluate what sacrifices you are able and willing to make for whatever career you decide on. Besides a lucky few, starting out is not easy for anyone. We take the crappy shifts, the worst patients, etc because we know that it is what we have to do to achieve the long-term goals we've set for ourselves.
Just read this article... FML I wonder if this applies to advance practice nurses too? I'm waiting to hear back from an MSN program. I seriously hope this isn't the case for APN's. Oh well... I'm gonna do it anyway, I can't think of anything else I'd ever want to do.
If you plan to be a nurse for another 10-14 yrs I say go back to school. MSN is not all that long and your already have a BSN. Do your MSN and included a specialization within it...As I have seen some dnp programs that like students to have a specialization prior to coming in and other DNP programs that have a specialization attached with it(vary by schools so check around). If you can be dedicated to at least 36 months of school Go for the DNP....Your young. Also check around to see what specializations will let you get into a DNP program. Also there are programs that you can get into that will be paid by the nurse student loan forgiveness program in which many require 2-3 years of work at a nonprofit after you finish your program to repay the loan. Yes if you need to move or relocate its possible just have to continue to work at a nonprofit while you have the loan repaid within that time frame. There are also scholarship programs. I'm in my early 30's but I return to school as I wasn't content. I start my DNP June 2015. Listen up you aren't too old...don't let age be a barrier....I had someone that was 68 in my class that turned her tassel. Don't be 65...and look back and wish....when you can be 65+look back and said you did!!!!!
Being a nurse is a very hard, stressful job at least that is how I feel, and what I have experienced. Believe me I wanted to quit my first job. It was hell. I didn't know anything, I was bullied and harassed and only had one friend also a new grad. The other new grad didn't pass boards and lost her job. But I couldn't quit my job. I had to make it work whether I liked it or not. There was no one else out there that was going to take care of me and the bills had to be paid. I started out making $13/hr in 1993 and my student loans were over $300 month, plus I had rent and a car payment and credit card bills. It was rough financially and emotionally, but if I had gone back to being a secretary I was only making $7/hr and couldn't live on that, especially now that I had over $22,000 in student loans at high interest rates of 10-12% and 12-14% variable interest. My student loans have dragged on forever thanks to the original high interest and putting them in deferment at times when I couldn't afford to pay them. They will finally be paid off next year.
So I understand it felt like hell to you working in a nursing home, but I think the first year is hell for most people. Yes the ratio's are too high, but that has always been the case and I don't see it changing. Many nurses struggle and are unhappy, but can't afford to just quit. I would have stayed it out and quit after I had another job. Also you may have been the only RN but nursing homes actually have LPN's that do a lot of the hands on work. I think you gave up too soon without giving nursing a chance, but if you are honest with yourself you probably realize nursing isn't for you. You have all these things you can't ie you won't do like work nights so I think it will take a miracle for you to get a nursing job at this point. Ironically many people find out nights is actually easier than working days, plus you get paid more and is quieter and less stressful, but you never considered giving it a chance! You aren't the only nurse out there that hasn't been able to get a job and you aren't the only one that has quit nursing and gone back to their old job whether waitressing or bartending after decided nursing wasn't for them. Believe me if I could have afforded to go back to being a secretary I would have been tempted to do that. Even now there are days I wish I could afford to do that, but I just can't. I have a mortgage that must be paid and another car payment when my 13 year old car gave up the ghost.
What have you been doing for the last six years to pay the bills? I would continue in that job. For you to get a nursing job you really need a friend to help get you in to a place. It will be about who you know at this point, if there is someone that would speak up for you and give you a chance. You complained that they hired a grandma over you, but at this point, that is exactly the sort of break that you need to become a nurse.
While you are only interested in working at a hospital, don't think it is easy. Granted we have less patients than a nursing home, but the acuity is much higher. I don't know where you have applied, but I would broaden my search to assisted living, doctors offices etc, but it will still take someone deciding to give you a chance because you are competing with new grads and experienced nurses for these jobs. Yes you can mention you have been a caretaker and that is why you have been out of the workforce, but if you are still a caretaker how will you do both now?
Some tech colleges offer a refresher course for nurses who have been out of the market. This is the route I would take at this point unless you know someone that will get you a job, but maybe you should wait since you are still taking care of your elderly father. Will you still be able to care for him if you get a job? Maybe try to get a part-time job you can usually pick up hours and get your foot in the door. It would maximize your flexibility to care for your loved one. I did take care of a loved one for several years till she died, but my family took care of her when I did my 3 12's. Is there anyone else that can help your dad while you are working?
I would be leary of going back to school in my 50's especially taking out more student loans. I don't know what you owe from the BSN, but the student loans must be paid even if it comes to the point of having your social security garnished. There are no bankruptcy options.
I remember one nurse getting a job by dropping off magazines at a nursing home and mentioning she was looking for a job, but you already know that you can't work at a nursing home so that wouldn't work. I remember another RN mentioning she went back to NP school when she couldn't get a nursing job and was able to successfully transition to an NP job after graduating, but I would be afraid to take a chance because again you have no real experience, are in your 50's so may face age discrimination and it will be difficult to pay the student loans back. If you went this route, you would probably end up on income based repayment into retirement. While I believe NP would be a great job and better than floor nursing and I wouldn't mind doing it myself, I just feel I can't risk taking on student loans at my age because I know age discrimination exists and there is a lot of competition for these jobs as well. One Dr mentioned over 25 people applied for an NP job. Unless you were willing to relocate you might find it hard to get an NP job as well unless you live in a rural area, but if you have five hospitals you must be living in a city that probably has a dozen or at least half pumping out new grad RN & NP's every semester!
I don't see anything wrong with "wanting my cake and eating it too". Is it not the American dream - work hard, go to school, study hard. I have put in my years of doing for other, putting aside what I want for the wants and needs of others. Settling for what comes my way. Is it so wrong to want something for myself - to have something go my way instead of having to fight for everything and rarely getting what I want - just geeting what is left over. Before you give me the speech - have already heard it.
The American dream is a lie or it's on life support! Everyone pushes education as the answer to a good job, but the problem is there are simply not enough jobs out there, yet alone good paying ones! I think that is part of the reason why so many people are going back to school for nursing. The media has been lying that there is a nursing shortage, but that is not the case!
You said you graduated in 2009 so that was when the economy imploded and it affected nursing too. First people went back to nursing or to full time hours when their husbands lost their jobs or their retirement accounts plummeted and then hospitals either laid off or went on hiring freezes as less people had insurance and more people went on medicaid.
By us almost 100 people applied for one night shift job a couple years ago! So you are not alone in struggling to find a job! There are probably a dozen colleges by me between tech, non-profits and now even for profits offering RN degrees.
You sound like you have been doing everything you can think of to find a job. Maybe you need to find a counseling center to help with your stress and depression over your life situation. Most cities have non profit centers like a Women's Center where you can get free or low cost counseling to help deal with your stress, grief, disappointment and depression. Also see if your dad and you qualify for any social services that would help the both of you. If you haven't been paying on your student loans it would be best to put them in income base repayment that way if you are unemployed or low wage the payment may be as low as zero.
But know that you are not alone! There are millions of Americans unemployed that have simply given up and left the job force and that is the real reason the unemployment rate has dropped! Even people with six figure management jobs that once they are laid off can no longer find any job! Once and a while the local unemployment office offers a community job placement program that helps people get back into the workforce. I don't know if any such program exists where you live. Unfortunately these type of programs are not commonly available.
Some people buy stuff at Goodwill and the like and then resell it on ebay for extra money. You will need to be creative to pay the bills. I think you could benefit from some counseling. I wish you and your dad the best.
I wonder if this applies to advance practice nurses too? I'm waiting to hear back from an MSN program. I seriously hope this isn't the case for APN's. Oh well... I'm gonna do it anyway, I can't think of anything else I'd ever want to do.
INN_777, BSN, RN
432 Posts
Have you looked into correctional?
Also, how have you networked? In places where you volunteered, could the volunteer department put in a word for you? Your former classmates? Some of them are probably well entrenched within their organizations - maybe they can help?