Unemployed & inexperienced New RNs. Vent it out!

[captain byakuya]

It's good to have an outlet you can spill your feelings about finding a job and struggling being unemployed.

Got my CA RN license in Jan2011 and trying to land a RN job anywhere. Passed hundreds of applications online which seems like sending to a blackhole (then I learned that most employers are only considering applicants that are referred and just ignore those who aren't). Applied to diff. RN Residencies in diff. states and the competition is really crazy (ex. only

I graduated last yr, I'm staling, I don't fit as a "new grad" anymore, very expensive RN refresher courses which doesn't guarantee an employment and I don't know where would I get money for that. I used to be this guy who's full of hopes, goal-oriented, productive & motivated, now I'm depressed, frustrated, stressed and broke.

That's my story, what's yours?:)

[Saab93]

Bump. I was determined to find a job, but after couple of months of sending electronic applications and getting automated rejection emails, which is better than not getting any emails back, I need to vent some things before I go back to school (online RN-BSN) and continue with my Job Search.

How can hospitals claim they are "teaching hospitals" when they don't hire new RNs? They talk about the cost of hiring new RNs for training, but they are happy to pay premium for RNs from travel agencies. And I can only imagine what the work environment is like to work with a travel nurse who is not commited to work within the team because they can just leave and pick up another assignment elsewhere. Or a travel nurse going above and beyond when they know the end date of their assignment. It is much better to invest in a new employee than rotating the temp workers. Don't they know that?

And what is up with "magnet" hospitals"? That is like an art gallery advertising "we only display art from artists with Bachelor's degree in art", or imagine a band claiming all of their members hold Bachelor's in music degree. How about a book store that only carries a book written by authors with Bachelor's in literature or english? Everyone knows these claims are so stupid, we question the institution who makes these claims. So why hospitals think they get benefit from such a claim? I think it came from nurses with BSN felt threatened by nurses with ADN when competing for power, policy, or position. My Bachelor's in business, life long experience, and ADN training will make me a better new grad nurse than most 20yr old new grads nurse with BSN.

[cook78]

I graduated from an LPN program 18 months ago. Got my NCLEX on the first try. I wanted to work in LTC where I had been a CNA for over 2 years. I have excellent references from supervisors as well as residents and their families from my employment in LTC.I have applied for only a few hospital positions out of desperation because LTC now wants nurses to have an RN BSN and at least 1 year of experience. Hospitals are the same. There seems to be a No New Grads policy wherever I go. When I read on other nursing sites and here that there are all these Nursing Jobs for new grads and to just keep an open mind, don't be picky, keep applying... I am convinced that those who claim they had jobs right out of school, must either work for a nursing school or have job connections. The only person from my graduating class that walked right into a hospital job has family members who already work in that hospital system. Nursing schools want to stay in business so of course they're going to keep claiming that there is a "nursing shortage". Good thing I am an excellent chef or I would be totally unemployed. If I ever get a nursing job I am going to have to attend a refresher course. I haven't been around any nursing skills in a year and a half. How safe is this going to be for patients? Volunteering is not really an option when you live in farm country and would have to drive 63 miles to the nearest Red Cross. And at todays gas prices. Yes, the local hospital has some volunteer options that are not nursing oriented in any way and that is 28 miles away.I just spent $75.00 renewing my BLS for Healthcare Provider and I don't know why. I guess if someone at the restaurant has a heart attack they'll be lucky that the chef is also an LPN?

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

What a frustrating situation cook78. It is so unfair what the faculty and schools are doing....

[cook78]

Appreciate the symps Crunch, thank you.

[caffeineaddict]

If I weren't in school part time I'd be furious!

I too need to renew my bls but for what? Good luck 2 us all.

We will be employed soon;)

[Anthony_O]

The impression that I get is that these facilities would rather make their staff work in unsafe conditions than to hire additional help. Makes me regret spending 3 years training to become a nurse.

[Lynn2]

A friend here in CT told me to apply to prisons/correctional systems also, but when I looked into it even they were asking for their applicants to have 2-5 years experience and were not considering new grads.

After 4 months of looking, I have taken a job in retail for minimum wage! to help feed my family. I will continue to apply and hope for something in nursing. It frustrates me that I can't even work as a CNA because I have an RN title, which I think is stupid, even a CNA makes more than minimum wage and I certainly could do the work.

[Lynn2]

exactly! Every single hospital I did my RN clinical rotations in was severely understaffed, with any RN who you asked privately and directly about the situation would state that they were overworked, with not enough staff and no time to eat, let alone go to the bathroom!!!!! But these same places are not hiring new grads, go figure.

[BotoxBaby]

I too am frustrated at what I feel are lies that I have been fed about nursing shortages. I feel as if I am in an even worse position because I was banking on a particular family of hospitals to hire me upon passing the NCLEX and then once they found out that I passed, it was oh sorry, budget cuts and no positions for new grads. Whaaaaatttttt????? All of the time I spent at these facilities and I could have been networking during my clinicals at other facilities? I felt duped. Now I am a new grad ADN with no other medical/nursing experience and no one wants to hire me. Great. 2 years of nursing school and clinicals out the window because I don't have the cherished BSN.

I have also picked up a minimum wage job just to make some money and help my family. My spirit is crushed with each rejection email I receive from jobs I apply for and I get increasingly more upset with the organization that I let feed me the "lies".

So now what are my options? Each day, throughout the day, I check job boards and hospital sites for new postings to apply to. I can apply to an RN-BSN program, but many of those also want you to be able to have access to patients or at least one year acute experience. Yes, there are some programs that don't have those stipulations and I will apply, but in the meantime, I am still a new grad RN without a job who constantly needs to explain to each and every person who asks me why I am not working- there is NOT a nursing shortage, just picky hospitals...

Good luck to my fellow new grads! This cannot go on for long...

[ccalvinn]

I have been visiting allnurses.com since I started my prerequisite classes in 2008. It helped tremendously throughout school although I always lurked and never set up an account. But now, once I saw this thread, I just had to set up an account and join in.

I graduated in December of 2011 with my ADN. I took the NCLEX in March and got all possible questions.... and didn't pass. I studied and more importantly prepared myself better mentally and took the NCLEX again in June. When the text shut off after only 75 questions I was devastated. Just sure that I had failed. But I soon found out that I had passed and was now a full fledged licence holding Registered Nurse.

That glow only lasted a few months.

Backing up a bit... I put out several applications while still in school. I didn't expect much, and only applied to jobs in the hospital where I was taking my last clinical. Most of my classmates did the same, and several got hired before they even graduated. I put out a few more applications when I was close to my first NCLEX exam date, but when I failed I thanked my lucky stars that I hadn't gotten a job. I mean how horrible would it be to lose a job for not passing the NCLEX.

Once I did get my license I let the flood gates open and applied to job after job after job after job after job. And then the next day rolled around and I started up again. The hospital that I took my clinicals at lists jobs specifically for "Registered Nurse / Graduate Nurse", and I make sure to apply to each and every one of those, figuring it would be the easiest job to get. But I don't limit myself there... I apply to most hospitals in a 100 mile radius. I apply to jobs that 'prefer' several years experience. I apply to jobs that 'request' several years of experience. The only jobs I don't apply to are ones that list a requirement for experience. And even with that restriction, I still am applying to dozens of jobs a week.

I don't get a response to most applications. Some hospitals list that the job has selected someone else, or that they've closed the job opening (only to open it back up again that same week). One hospital will even send an email to let me know that they've selected someone else. But most don't list anything. Just that I've applied.

In the four months that I've been applying like it's my job (and I'm getting good at applying!) I have received one phone interview (they must not have looked at my resume as the required 5 years experience. I hadn't even applied to the job!), and one face to face interview. While the interview was fast (done in 15 minutes) I thought that I did well. It was for a fairly undesirable job, and the only applicants were new grads. I walked out of that interview like I was walking on clouds. I was SURE that I nailed it, and that I would be hearing from them yesterday (they would only contact the person selected).

Needless to say with me posting in this thread, I didn't get the job.

But I guess what they say is true... misery loves company. I was incredibly disheartened when I didn't get that call. I'm still hurting about it, but after reading this thread and seeing that I'm not alone I feel.... better?

For the most part, my classmates have moved on to find jobs. I seem to be one of the few (if not the only one) that hasn't began using my license yet. I thought that it must be me. But after reading so many of your stories and nodding along, I realize that I'm not alone.

So I'll be rooting for all of you to get that job. It's out there. Just don't begrudge me if I try to snag it first!

[cook78]

Could this be part of the No New Grads problem ?

http://www.aha.org/content/12/12sep-bcaeconimpact.pdf

It could be affecting other healthcare jobs as well.

[Leonardo Del Toro, RN]

OK I know your pain. I was there only last month. Are you willing or can relocate? If you can you can get a job this week. Rural hospitals are hiring new grads! But only in remote areas of the country so you might need to get off your comfort zone. I know a place in North Dakota that will hire you over the phone. The minute I started searching for these places I got a bunch of calls and replies. You just have to get yourself there...