What if I don't get a Graduate Year?

[alimorton]

Hi there,

I am currently within the last six months of my nursing degree (at University of Tasmania) and am very anxious about being accepted into a graduate program. I won't be eligible to start work until mid February and am only applying for jobs within Victoria (Australia). I have had one unsuccessful interview for my first preference, and am now relying on applying to hospitals that have 'vacant' positions available. I am just wondering if anyone has any advice or had similar experiences to this? If so, what steps did you take to gain employment within the nursing field?

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

have you got a tutor at uni who is a link tutor for you or one that you get on well with that could offer you some advice? nursing is all about usung your resources so use them. did you apply to smaller hospitals like Geloong, Arraart, Bairnsdale etc?

[alimorton]

Thankyou for your response K+MgSO4. I have various tutors at uni who can provide advice, however, only for those people who are going for jobs within Tasmania. It is quite difficult as many of our lecturers discuss the importance of getting a graduate year, but none of them give you options of what to do if you don't. I am exploring my options of aged care first year out, as that will still give me 12 months experience so I can then apply for acute care positions. I am just wanting to know if anyone else has has a similar situation and what they did about it.

P.S. No, i didn't apply for smaller hospitals. You only can only apply to four hospitals for your graduate year. Once the unfilled positions are publicised I will be applying for everything (city/rural, large hospital/small, public/private)

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

there you go. You know the answers you are just stressing

If the worse come to the worse, and you don't get grad year, you look for the unfilled spots and apply for them. Then the regional hospitals etc

Just enjoy this last Christmas and NY off!

[SisterSteph]

Try not to stress, I didn't get a grad year straight away last year and had to apply everywhere I could. I still ended up getting a job at my 2nd preference hospital. Since I started in March about 5 people have dropped out for various reasons and they have all been replaced with more grads. So even if you miss out, just keep calling hospitals to ask about any vacancies in their programs. Also if you are willing to do aged care you will have no problems finding a job, even if you just do it for a year and move on. You'll be fine. :)