Hi, all,I guess I'm just wondering what's up nowadays with hospitals. I applied for a position on med/surg floor 3 weeks ago. The ad sounded great and experience required was "none - but 2 years recent acute care preferred". OK, so this is my experience in a nutshell:
09/98-08/99: Med/tele/PCU (at another hospital)
09/99-01/05: Outpatient/chronic dialysis in a clinic
11/06-04/08: Acute/inpatient dialysis (at the same hospital where I'm currently applying)
I got a denial letter 2 weeks ago but noticed that the job is still posted (supposedly, "another candidate was hired"). So I called the nurse recruiter today and asked if I could reapply for the job. He told me, "Yes, it's still open, but the manager was not interested in interviewing you." I was too stunned to ask why.... What's up with this?
Yes, the economy is dreadful, and online RN ads at this hospital are 1/4-1/3 of normal, sign-on bonuses are history, I know all that - but do they have so many highly qualified RN applicants that they don't even care to talk to an experienced RN? I'm not a new grad, after all, and desperate enough to consider night shift now. But I also don't want to humiliate myself and beg them to hire me! (Not that it would do any good.)
I was thinking about calling back on Monday to at least ask if there is something wrong with my application/resume*. I should have done that today, but I was just too surprised.
Any feedback/input/guesses as to what's going on? Thanks for reading this.
DeLana
*It can't be totally wrong, since I did get an interview for a PRN position on another floor (oncology); however, the manager told me she has several more interviews before making a decision. And that for a PRN job with no additional pay and no benefits! It's bad out there...
I will just say " let it go " stop wasting energy with this mean HR. They just wants you to be mad. move on you got the exp this is not the only place to work!!!!
You are correct Delana, Dialysis leads to nowhere! I have strong ICU/CTU and Burn ICU experience with long stints covering ER and a former CCRN. I also have case management and supervisor experience. I'm told either I'm over qualified or "need recent bedside experience". Home health wants the same lol. You would think after 30 years someone would appreciate and want what we have to offer. This is another reason why I never advise any new grad to go staight into dialysis as it limits them so very much down the road if they decide it's not for them. For me I hate dialysis so am out for good. I'll clean toilets before ever going back to dialysis. I refuse to be someones maid, waitress and everyday punching bag like dialysis clinics place you in. I'm starting my MS in Health Law next year so hopefully it will get me somewhere else besides what I'm encountering in nursing these days.
I will just say " let it go " stop wasting energy with this mean HR. They just wants you to be mad. move on you got the exp this is not the only place to work!!!!
I wish I could, but this hospital is one of only two in town and no one else is hiring at all so I can't afford to just let it go. It's not the HR guy, I suppose, he only relays what he hears from the manager who apparently thinks he can afford to just dismiss applicants since he has so many....
I'll have to play their game (i.e., keep applying for jobs), but I won't forget and will feel no loyalty to any employer ever again.
Amen, Ther is nothing call loyalty to any employer. You can be as good as you can ,working at the same place for years and years to build a high mountain of trust and in less than a minutes they will spit you to the street. They don't care how will you face your famly with no job so why should we care!!!!!!!good luck now you will feel much better working there.
Specializes in Case Mgmt, Anesthesia, ICU, ER, Dialysis.
I don't understand why they think you have no recent med-surg experience...last I checked, all the wound care, diabetes management, patient education, CHF managment, and all the other chronic MEDICAL-SURGICAL issues experienced by dialysis patients were done by....dialysis nurses.
Good luck. :)
Signed,
A former dialysis nurse who had to pitch things right to make 'em see the light
I called the nurse recruiter back today and have a pretty good idea now why I didn't get an interview: the nurse manager had 15+ applications to choose from! Apparently, he chose fewer than half of those to interview (haha, the job is still posted... it sure would be funny if I got a call from him soon
Unfortunately, it's really a buyer's (read: employer's) market right now. This will change as the economy improves and nurses retire or just quit... which doesn't help me right now. But new openings will be posted soon (according to HR), so I'll just keep applying.
I don't understand why they think you have no recent med-surg experience...last I checked, all the wound care, diabetes management, patient education, CHF managment, and all the other chronic MEDICAL-SURGICAL issues experienced by dialysis patients were done by....dialysis nurses.
Good luck. :)
Signed,
A former dialysis nurse who had to pitch things right to make 'em see the light
So true, but I guess even some hospital nurse managers don't necessarily know just how complex dialysis nursing is. We do a bit more than push a few buttons on a machine
So true, but I guess even some hospital nurse managers don't necessarily know just how complex dialysis nursing is. We do a bit more than push a few buttons on a machine
DeLana
At a recent interview I was asked how my venipuncture skills were. I have very good venipunture skills and relayed that, past experience putting in arterial lines, jugular lines, piccs, etc. The interviewer then replied "Now I happen to know you dont use needles in dialysis, as you use catheters!" Needless to say my jaw dropped and I honestly wasnt impressed with the facility anyway. Also since I was the Clinical Manager/DON they assume I stayed behind a desk pushing paperwork. Nevermind I was the only RN in the building therefore on the floor as the only RN 99% of the time. Check out www.flushotsusa.com see if they have any immunization contracts in your area upcoming for the flu season. I took a seasonal position for abit till I find what I want. They have contracts in all 50 states and pay $22.00/hr for RN's. Self scheduling also. No face to face interview either.
I can't believe you're having such a hard time finding work with the experience and skills you have (with your PICC skills you could get on the IV team at our local hospital right away, they can't find anyone!) And the ignorance... however, I have to admit I thought dialysis only used catheters before I applied for the job back in '99, having seen the contract acute nurse on my med/surg unit working only with perm caths - I don't know if I would have done it had I known about those 15-gauges back then :chuckle).
Thanks for the link, unfortunately they don't have these clinics here in north Fla. But it sounds like a good thing for you, setting your own hours allows for easy interviewing. I wish you the best of luck!
Wow, I'm surprised they dont. I'm in the central florida area on the coast. But your correct about dialysis. Heck I didnt even know there were chronic dialysis clinics until I seen the Davita add in the paper LOL. Most nurses havent a clue how many or if they even have dialysis clinics in thier area.
I wish I could, but this hospital is one of only two in town and no one else is hiring at all so I can't afford to just let it go. It's not the HR guy, I suppose, he only relays what he hears from the manager who apparently thinks he can afford to just dismiss applicants since he has so many....
I'll have to play their game (i.e., keep applying for jobs), but I won't forget and will feel no loyalty to any employer ever again.
DeLana
I understand that you're upset with not getting an interview, but it seems that all of the fingers are pointing at the mean manager and HR representative, and there has been no consideration of if there was anything in your past experience that could have resulted in this. Playing devil's advocate, you may want to examine if there is something in your prior experience at this facility that might make this manager not want you as a part of his unit staff. Did you leave on bad terms, have any incidents with staff that are currently on this floor, etc? I would suggest you ask the unit manager for specific feedback and what you could do as a corrective action...
masry123
116 Posts
I will just say " let it go " stop wasting energy with this mean HR. They just wants you to be mad. move on you got the exp this is not the only place to work!!!!