What am I doing wrong?? Help!!

[Vegas New Grad]

It's been awhile since I've posted. In the meantime I was consumed with studying for NCLEX and finding a job. The advice I was given by a lot was to 'worry about finding a job when you pass NCLEX'. Well, I passed about a month ago and have been looking for a job since. I've applied for every position (I believed I was qualified for) and out of almost the 20 jobs I got a call back for one. I won't mention the hospital but it's part of the Valley Health System. Anyhow, I was so excited. A phone interview was done and I guess I passed that part because the next thing the recruiter wanted me to do was an online assessment. Once the online assessment is done (assuming they like your answers) they call to schedule an interview. Well it stopped at the online assessment. I didn't get a call for an interview. It just really bugs me that the assesment had questions like....'a patient is complaining of the kind of care he has been receiving'...talking to your nurse manager would be

-very ineffective

-ineffective

-somewhat ineffective

-effective

-somewhat effective

-very effective

I had to chose one. There were over 20 questions like this one and really, it could be all of those answers....the recruiter stressed that 'there are no wrong answers'...I just feel the assessment wasn't completely fair.

Sorry I'm just rambling....many of my classmates are now employed and I just wonder if anyone on here works for any of the hospitals and can offer some advice.

One thing I keep hearing is to go to the hospital and speak with the nurse manager - just go the unit and ask for him/her. I don't want to come off as being pretentious that's why I haven't done that.

PLEASE, if anyone out there has some advice I could sure use it right about now because apparently what I'm doing is not working.

THANKS SO MUCH IN ADVANCE!!!

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

yes i heard about these assesment tests.. the answer to the question would be " very effective" she wants to know what is going on on the floor. the managers want pt statisfaction , if there's a problem and when i am the charge nurse( and i can't reslove it) i go get the nurse manager to talk to the patient. if the manager is not there and i am in charge and if a patient complians about their care ( and i cannot reslove it) i go to the house supervisor.... these questions for these tests are tricky. there are right and wrong answers and they judge your critical thinking skills by the way you answer these questions.,and your knowledge of the chain of command. answer carefully each question.

it woudn't hurt to call the nurse manager and ask why you were not chosen. the valley health system is not hiring many nurses now. esp new grads.

reapply for another position and don't give up. oh which answer did you choose?

[Vegas New Grad]

Thanks so much for the advice....it makes a lot more sense the way you explained it. I think for that question I selected 'somewhat effective'. I guess I was really trying to put myself in that situation and I kept thinking that I wouldn't run directly to the nurse manager for every little problem that comes up. Hence, my thinking that all the answers could be possible.....it just depends on each particular situation. I thought about the chain of command and again, that's why I didn't think I'd go to the nurse manager first....I guess I did what a lot of 'newbies' do - I over thought the question and made up scenarios in my head...arrgghhh!!! I get it now and it makes sense. Although I do still wish that the assessment was done face to face that way they can see that I do have critical thinking skills because I'd be able to explain where my thoughts were coming from.

Well, I guess that explains why I didn't get interviewed. I'm a true believer in the saying that 'things happen for a reason' and if I was meant to get the job, I would have. I'm just getting a little worried that I won't find anything here...and of course, like many others out there, I NEED a job!

Just trying to stay positive - I know in time I'll find the job that was meant for me :)

I really appreciate the input. Thank YOU!!