What Is Going On?????

MBANurse · Dec 29, 2007

Hi Narcan;

What kind of places are you applying too? I know in California it is becoming increasingly more difficult for LVNs to be hired in Acute care facilities. Long term care is usually more receptive out here to new grads.

If you want a special area such as Peds or ED you may go ahead and take ACLS, PALS or NRP. Those more often not will set you apart from your peers; esp new grads; but they aren't easy.

Good luck and if you need some more specific help let us know.

NARCAN · Dec 30, 2007

I have applied to hospitals, ltc/home health, rehab centers, VA hospitals, doctors office....so far at this point i will take anything to build experience under the LPN tittle...i have experience in medical field since 1997 as M.A but not as LPN obviosy! so still trying!!!!!!!!!!!!

DarciaMoonz, LPN · Dec 30, 2007

Have you tried career builder? They are pretty good. It took me a while to find a job too. The other thing that you could try is just apply even if they don't have anything posted for the job that you are looking for. Things change daily, so you never know. When you go online look and apply for places that say they hire graduate nurses. good luck to you and don't give up.

scarlet · Dec 31, 2007

Keep Trying. Check out monster.com, have you tried Hospice, Home Health? Something will come up.

jean333 · Dec 31, 2007

I know how you feel. I went through the same thing trying to find a job and began a thread just like this because I felt so frustrated. But I just kept trying and trying. The funny thing is one day I saw an add for a doctors office that said, "new grad welcome" so I went for it. They called me in for an interview and said they would let me know. That same week I got two other call backs but I ended up getting the job in the doctors office so I took that. I got the paper every day and just applied to every job. I also just did walk ins to random doctors and nursing homes. You will find something but it will just take time. I gave up at the hospitals the really don't hire many LPN's except the VA and they are pretty good about LPN'S. Don't give up

kat7ap · Dec 31, 2007

I'm surprised nursing homes are rejecting a new grad! How are you turning in your applications and resumes?

I found that if possible, turn them in, in person at the facility and ask if there is someone there you can speak to about the job. Most of the nursing homes I applied to insisted that I stay and talk to the hiring nurse and I would pretty much get a impromtu interview and job offer at the same time. You can also try calling ahead of time to ensure the position in available, then say you are interested and ask when is a good time is for you to come and fill out an application and they will usually transfer you to the hiring person so you can set up an appointment.

For a hospital or larger facility you normally have to fill out an application online and then wait to hear back from a recruiter. It can be a lengthy process, sometimes months (in my experience). I also found that hospitals don't seem to want to hire new LPNs. So I had to work almost 1 year in nursing homes before getting the job I really wanted.

I found job ads mostly on careerbuilder.com, my local newspaper classified websites, and in the classifieds in the paper itself.

caliotter3 · Jan 1, 2008

You just have to be persistent. Look for any ads that say new grads welcome. Once you have made the rounds everywhere near your home start to broaden your scope of attempts out to the furthest that you are willing to drive to work. Keep track of the dates that you applied or inquired at each facility and then reapply after a certain amount of time. Go back to your school and check the bullein boards for posted job opportunites and check with your instructors or use any job placement services at the school. There are several job sites on the internet. Check each of them since some employers will only post on one site and others post on several. Another good place to try is your local office of the Employment Dept. In my state they have a website that can be checked by anyone who registers. You don't have to be drawing unemployment to use their services. Last, but not least, consider getting your foot in the door by getting hired as a CNA if you exhaust your prospects and are really hurting for a job. I once took a job as a CNA with the promise that I would move up to LVN when the next opening was available. It worked. Good luck.

softstorms · Jan 2, 2008

Congrates on your LPN. I know how hard you worked for it. But...I disagree with caliotter3. I do not think that getting hired as a CNA will help you. If you do take that position, they often use it to just move you up a bit on the pay scale. You are better to be hired as a Nurse at the pay scale for that position. I do agree with caliotter3 that you have many resourses avaliable to you to find jobs. They work you want will not come to you, you will have to look for it. Good Luck Softstorms

caliotter3 · Jan 2, 2008

In response to the previous poster, you would be assuming that your new employer is dishonest. Mine, did, in fact, move me up to the licensed nurse position when the position became available. A big advantage to this way of doing it was that I got to learn about the residents (the job was at a LTC facility) while I was working as a CNA. Besides that, I had a job. There are clear disadvantages to working as a CNA and I do not recommend it unless you are desperate for work. It stands to reason that if you were to do this, and are not given a licensed nurse position within the time frame agreed upon, that you move on. Working as a CNA is nothing to be ashamed of, but nobody expects you to let yourself be used. While you are doing this, of course, continue your job search elsewhere. And by the way, I've met nurses who work as RNs at one place, and work as CNAs at another on a permanent basis. They obviously are attracted by the wages and benefits that their CNA positions offer them.

dessyrell · Jan 2, 2008

they wouldn't hire you at a nursing home??? THAT is weird. well, good luck to you, hope you find a job soon, it would be a shame not to.

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2008

i agree... to the op look in the paper find what ltc are hiring for lvn's..(should be about all of them) then go get an application fill it out then request to speak with the hiring person (adon or don). it just should not be that hard to land a job in ltc as a lvn\pn.3

they wouldn't hire you at a nursing home??? that is weird. well, good luck to you, hope you find a job soon, it would be a shame not to.