What should i do??? New grad rn needs your advice!

[nurseinnyc&nj, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

Hello all :-) Im a frustrated new grad RN in NJ trying to find the first nursing job.

I've filled out so many applications for hospitals over a month now but haven't really heard anything except few. In the meantime, i got an offer from local nursing home as a staff nurse. What should i do with this offer? I always wanted to get a job in a hospital job setting.....and im afraid if i take this job, i would not be considered for new grad residency opportunities....and what if i take this job and get an offer from hospital in less than 6months-1year? (Maybe im thinking too much) Is there a minimum time period of commitment in every facility? Or is it just a common sense? What would you do if you were in this situation? So frustrated :-(

thanks in advance for all your feedbacks!!

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[ctcpete]

Hi Helen,

I'm also in NJ (Ocean County) but haven't gotten my RN yet. Studying through Excelsior and Im towards the end I hope.

Big decision and a lot depends on your personal situation regarding finances etc. It can be hard to turn down any half way decent position when you don't have a job.

You have to do the right thing for you. If you took the nursing home job and then something else came along and you left the first job then stayed with the second job for a good streatch I'd think it wouldn't hurt you much.

BTY, my wife is an LPN in nursing homes for many years now. Quite a few down this way as there is a huge retirement population.

Good luck with whatever choice you make.

[elmojklmno]

I say take whatever you have right now. A nursing experience is STILL a nursing experience. Do everything you can to learn in your job right now and when the hospital opportunity comes, at least you know something.

It's a tough market out there, and finding a job related to your license should be considered as a blessing.

I graduated in 2010, and got licensed here last June 2012. How long it took me to land a hospital job? 10 MONTHS. Yes, ten months. I waited tables during that gap but I didn't give up. I found and got my dream job 10 months later.

Don't give up. You're still lucky. :)

[nurseinnyc&nj, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

Thank you so much @elmojklmno and @ctcpete for the warm and encouraging replies! You guys rock!!!!!! I really needed to hear these! I really appreciate your replies and will definitely take your advice!!!!!

[ctcpete]

You know one of the reasons I got into nursing besides the fact that I enjoy helping people in general is that there where projected shortages of nurses going forward (US Labor Dept stats etc) but all I hear is how tough the job market is. As a new RN (hopefully I can say that about myself soon) I suppose any experience is better than none.

And Helen, you are very welcome. Wish you the best of luck, keep your chin up, and keep knocking on doors.

I'm pretty stressed myself. I wound up going to an LPN vocational program, then when I decided on going for my Associates RN, I had to restudy a bunch of stuff as well as do several pre reqs. My background was as a music major many years ago (I put off lots of general ed courses) and then I got into tech and took lots of tech courses. Of course your average nursing school isn't much interested in music or tech credits. I feel like I have been studying for ever.