Unemployed New Grad Support Group

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

Hey,

I was thinking and I want to bounce an idea off of you all. I think it would be cool for the people who cannot find jobs to meet up like once a week in your town and talk with one another and perhaps sign up to do a topic (i.e. CHF, COPD, etc.) and give the group a refresher on the topic. Then, do practice assessments on each other and BP and such to keep skills up. And share info that could possibly lead to a job.

My area has a lot of nursing schools and I am not the only new nurse without a job (I can't look for one now, but that's besides the point). I just fear losing my skills and info. just sitting around.

What do you think?

[amygarside]

That is a great idea, at least while waiting for a job you can refresh yourself with all the topics you learned in nursing school. I wish you good luck in this undertaking and hope that it will be a success.

[missnoc360]

Sounds fun..

[rluciano]

I'm in--is anyone as frustrated as I am with the job situation--I live in NYC and there doesn't seem to be one job out there that is willing to hire someone without at least a year of experience--I can't even find anyone that will let me volunteer!!!...going back for my BSN in feb but am starting to think it is a giant waste of time and money!

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

I am glad you guys don't think it's stupid. I am thinking if we could start them all over the place it could be a norm (I am sure we're not going to be the only graduating year without jobs. It'll happen next year too.) Like if ten or fifteen people wanted to get together and one week, go over cardiac (one person share info/refresher on CHF, another person on MI, another person pericarditis, etc.; look at some strips and go over how to read one), then next week go over like respiratory, and so on. Maybe practice assessments on each other and BP. I love sharing what I know with other people--both patients, other nurses, and nursing students. Talk about any places hiring...personally, if I come across a job that maybe is not something I am interested in, but I know of a friend that wants that field, then I pass the info on. I am not the type that throws applications anywhere and everywhere (I am not an OB, ER, OR, ICU person. I enjoy med-surg, psych/addictions/detox, and community and public health/home health). The fact is, we need to start supporting each other and not look at it as competing. It's hard for all of us.

Maybe, if there's a volunteer opportunity somewhere, then a few people from the group can get together and go volunteer together. That way, they know someone and they get experience.

I am going to start fishing around and try and find the people who haven't found anything.

[Inori, BSN, RN]

NYC specific - There are volunteer things to do that use the nursing license for example: redcross, Medical reserve corp, new york road runners NYRR medical volutneer for marathons. I've worked with and volunteered with both groups, you meet alot of seasoned professionals, get to network and use your skills. You can always lead teaching workshops get a few nursing classmates together put together teaching material topics and approach clinic directors, nursing homes, shelters, offering your services. Ex: diabetes education, medication edu, nutrition. Ah make sure you get permission from the person in charge of the place first. Regular hospital volunteering, some places have special volunteers inside the emergency dept you get to push pts up to thier exams, see trauma units, help out with many things. Offer to tutor your fellow nursing underclassmen at your school while you job search, help prepare themfor thier clinical practicum whie refreshing your own memory, Be creative there's stuff out there we can do.

Doing things like this helps build your confidence, people skills, and lets you meet others in the profession "networking". I did all the above or some combination of it.

[zmaldonado]

I'm in--is anyone as frustrated as I am with the job situation--I live in NYC and there doesn't seem to be one job out there that is willing to hire someone without at least a year of experience--I can't even find anyone that will let me volunteer!!!...going back for my BSN in feb but am starting to think it is a giant waste of time and money!

I am doing my BSN now and unemployed and do feel like it's a waste of time but if I'm not doing something I will go crazy. Besides it deferred my student loans;)

[alodocios]

i am in ct, i know what you mean, i even looked into jobs in ny. I am in a bsn now also, and have applied to all the new grad residencies that will accpet adn's. I give everyone who looks like they are sniffling in my full extended familly a physical, and they all call me for advice, which i do say go to the doctor, but it gives me the opportunity to see if i am forgetting things. a lady fell on election day and split her head open and i was the only nurse around so i took care of her untill the paramedics arrived and was able to brief them, it was nice to use my skills to help someone in need. This is a great idea.

Sometimes i feel like i am the only unemployed new grad in the whole state,everone yelling about a nursing shortage, so they look at me like, " what is wrong with her that she can't get a job?"

[Leonardo Del Toro, RN]

Yes that's a great idea but more effective would be if hospitals would begin to hire but instead they keep loading more work to fewer nurses. Big hospitals are not only for profit corporations but they are viciously for profit even more so than some corporations which are in the business for profit only. Disguised as "non profit" and receiving tax brakes from the government CEO's make millions while everyone else has to suffer to maintain their high standard of living. Almost non of the tax brakes they receive return to the community as it should. They make the most money during the recession because it's supper easy to say they are hurting for money hence a reason not to hire and make nurses work extra hard, justify wanting to cut their benefits, and buying cheap or insufficient medical supplies. With the economy getting better they must be very worried that they will make less money and finally will have to hire.

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

I am thinking that once something like this is up and running, then perhaps nurse recruiters can come and talk to the unemployed grads and put a name to the face and stuff like that.

Maybe advertise the group around nursing schools and such.

[RNRAC]

Count me in :)

[seungk5]

it's a great idea, even if new grad nurses just gathered and did job searches and filled out apps together, it'd be helpful. I would love to!