Was a LPN, now a RN, advice needed...

[RandomRN]

To explain my situation ~

I was an LPN for for a year before going back to RN school. I recently finished my RN in December 2008, and have been unable to find a job as a GN in a hospital (where I'd like to be). In my area, the two hospitals initiated hiring freezes in December due to the economy, and now currently aren't hiring graduate nurses. I have continued working in my LPN job of home health. It's a really great/rewarding/low-stress job, but it's not challenging and I can't see myself sitting in someone's house all night for the rest of my career.

I decided to take a few months off (RN school was rough) and enjoy my low-stress job. I assumed that once the hiring freezes were over at the hospital I could coast into the job of my dreams. Almost half a year later, the hospitals are hiring, but not hiring graduate nurses.

I have decided to have a knee surgery I've been putting off. I would be able to keep working my current job, and when I get into the hospital I won't have to worry about being on my feet all day. But now, I really need advice, or someone who knows the hospital system better than myself to help me out.

If I choose to stay with my current job and delay getting a hospital position until next year is that a recipe for disaster? Will the hospitals still put you through the graduate nurse training, even if you've already been an RN for a year?

My ultimate fear, is that come next year I will be ready and excited to work in the hospital, but be unable to get a job because I'm not a 'graduate nurse'. Or worse, be put into a job with no training and be unable to perform at the level that is expected of a nurse with 1 year or experience.

What would you do if you were in my situation? Thanks in advance for any advice.