What else can I do?

[mack68]

I'm in my senior year of RN school. I tried to get a intern position with several local hospitals but have not received an email or phone call. I am desperate need to obtain some type of medical skill training so I have taken a postion as PCT part time to at least get some type of medical experience while working along side nurses.

Is there any thing else I can do in the horrible nurse job market. When I graduate I will have over 1 yr experience as a PCT. Will that make any difference once I begin to apply for RN positons?

In the Memphis market there are too many RN programs for the amount of positions that come open and everybody wants a year of nursing experince. I know several nurses that work at 2 different hospitals and I keep thinking that those extra postions that these nurses are doing should be filled by a new nurse to gain expereince. Why are new nurse grads treated so badly?

[jennthern]

Every new grad I know in Memphis from SW, U of M, and Baptist have all been able to find a job. The only people who struggle are those that hold out for day shift or L&D/ICU/Peds/OR. Once they let that go, they have all been able to get jobs. One of my classmates got a call for an extern position 9 months after she applied. I think new grads are slow to realize that the Human Resources wheels are S-L-O-W. I applied for a job that took a month before the nurse recruiter called, another month before the nurse manager called, 2 weeks for the interview, and now it has been 3 weeks with no decision made. Do the math, that is over 3 months!!! You just have to keep applying and wait. It will happen eventually. I think December grads are at a disadvantage in that alot of people take vacation and are willing to work some overtme so hospitals aren't desperate to fill positions. Once late Feb/early March rolls around that will change. Having a PCT job will at least get you some experience and a foot in the door.