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 realize I'm "just a new grad" but I was denied a position after working for the hospital for five years in another department (acute care nutrition- LOTS of bedside experience, education, working with kids & families & nurses & MDs, etc, etc), besides working as a nurse tech in clinic while in school (huge paycut). They weren't even kind to me. Didn't even inquire about all that I had done for the last five years; treated me like I was just anyone off the street and they were doing me a huge favor by interviewing me. Had one interviewer looking around the room likeshe was bored during the interview. Made me incredibly nervous! Tragically, I no longer work there and haven't had an interview since. While I don't hold it against the hospital, I feel pretty slighted. I had been talking with HR for years about continuing on in nursing there, wanting to know what they wanted to see, etc. Sure, the economy sucks, but I just didn't feel like I was treated like someone who'd just received a five year pin.
Sadly, even though I'm a bit older, this was the first time I ever felt "loyal" to my employer (I just don't have that kind of work ethic because I've been shat on in the past as well). Guess it was the last time as well.
Another aspect, is that the oncology director and med-surg director got together and divied up the applications. Since you got an interview with oncology, it looks like you're interested in that work, possibly hospice; and that department gets you!
One thing I've learned in a (seeming) lifetime of applying for jobs, is that you never can tell what motivates those who interview you. Desperation can be some directors' problem, if they're really short handed........
Med-surg may still have the staff person who was quitting, leaving the opening, but she indicates that she may stay...... I can't tell you how many times that's happened to me...... Then in a year or so, she may still be there, and another opening happens......
Your dialysis experience for 10 years (!), means that you've had experience with gravely ill patients, and possibly lots of one-one relating with them. If you craved for the hot and heavy stuff, you might have wanted to work with transplant services......
Meanwhile, try listing all the good reasons for working in oncology, and realize that rejection is tough for everyone to take. Paranoia sets in quickly, and you look to see where your "slip is showing" (or are you young and never had that problem, since younger women purposely show the lace?). Believe me, it keeps you turning in circles, endlessly.
I wish you health, happiness in your work and at home, a good support system, and the knowledge that health care will be available to you with or without "benefits" at your job, soon (had to get that nudge in). I'll be thinking and praying with you.
Wow, based on the advise you are getting it sounds like nursing is not as viable as they say it is. I graduated recently and having a hard time finding a niche... my advise: keep the faith and know that praying wll help.
Hi, all,I guess I'm just wondering what's up nowadays with hospitals. I applied for a position on med/surg floor...I got a denial letter 2 weeks ago but noticed that the job is still posted."
I CAN tell you one thing that is happening at several hospitals in my town. One of the hospital groups is now including a "personality test" as part of the application process. If you "flunk" the test, you will not be interviewed and they will not allow you to be hired. Period. And you cannot retake the test for one year!
(all of us "old nurses" who work there are nervous that we would "flunk" the test!) I have not seen the test, but have been told it reveals how patient-centered, safe practitioner, legally liable, team player the applicant is.
This type of "weeding out" is being used more and more. Is it at good thing? I don't know for sure. I DO know it has kept several very experienced nurses from being hired in my unit!!! (much to my shock and dismay)
Same thing happened to me--twice. I interviewed at two hospitals and I have 9 years experience. In both instances, I did not get the position. I did receive notices that "another candidate was selected", but the position is still open. Another position opened up times two and I did not get a call to re-interview. I wondered if it was my resume, my references, my background check, my uniform or the shape of my nose. I am totally unclear why I was not selected. Any suggestions comments?
I have a worse story... I was interviewed and actually (surprise) hired on the spot and sent for a urine test and told to come for orientation the next day, which I did. Then, to my utmost surprise.. two hours into the orientation, they pulled me out and told me that they could not offer me the position. I asked to speak to administrator and was told that they had not checked background, references, etc., but would do so and then I could re-start orientation in a week or so. I called back in one week - and was told that they could not offer me the position and when I asked to speak to HR, DON or administrator - was told they were "in meetings".... repeated phone calls got the same result. I explained that I just wanted to know what the problem was - but never got any response to any phone calls, etc...... Nursing Blows Big Time!
Specializes in psychiatric, UR analyst, fraud, DME,MedB.
Things sure have changed! I better not hear another one of those "nursing shortage cries " cause the above comments sure does not support that! Usually they would take none experience or new grads and train them or mentor them.
Don't you wish people would just be straightforward- you got a bad reference, you flunked the drug/personality/whatever test, the director wants someone with recent/less/more experience, something. A little decency towards the applicant for goodness sakes! I hate applying for jobs. Very few employers treat applicants like they are more than a piece of meat. They deserve all the quitting with no notice, refusal of overtime, lack of loyalty that they get when they treat those who work for them or who try to get a job there like they mean nothing.
In my experience, if you go to the interview and you really want the job- send a thank you note. It often gets you called. If you got the creeps in the interview and you really have doubts, don't send a thank you note, or word it in such a way that you appreciate their time, but don't mislead them (ie. I am looking forward to talking to you again soon, etc.).
My hospital has an informal no-rehire policy. It is not always enforced in my department, but the main HR dept. would probably not rehire you. No one ever leaves there, they just go PRN and slowly fade away. They are afraid to quit because they can't come back. I have gone to other jobs twice and remained PRN there. The two hospitals I previously worked for both rehired me after I had left and come back. I guess it just depends on the department and the hospital's philosphy.
I have a worse story... I was interviewed and actually (surprise) hired on the spot and sent for a urine test and told to come for orientation the next day, which I did. Then, to my utmost surprise.. two hours into the orientation, they pulled me out and told me that they could not offer me the position. I asked to speak to administrator and was told that they had not checked background, references, etc., but would do so and then I could re-start orientation in a week or so. I called back in one week - and was told that they could not offer me the position and when I asked to speak to HR, DON or administrator - was told they were "in meetings".... repeated phone calls got the same result. I explained that I just wanted to know what the problem was - but never got any response to any phone calls, etc...... Nursing Blows Big Time!
Similar thing happened to me. The day before I was supposed to start orientation, I was told that there was a management shake up and an immediate hiring freeze went into effect.
Another place offered a PRN position but when I called to set up orientation, I was told, "Sorry, the NM has decided to go in another direction." *** is that?
holisticallyminded
164 Posts
I realize I'm "just a new grad" but I was denied a position after working for the hospital for five years in another department (acute care nutrition- LOTS of bedside experience, education, working with kids & families & nurses & MDs, etc, etc), besides working as a nurse tech in clinic while in school (huge paycut). They weren't even kind to me. Didn't even inquire about all that I had done for the last five years; treated me like I was just anyone off the street and they were doing me a huge favor by interviewing me. Had one interviewer looking around the room likeshe was bored during the interview. Made me incredibly nervous! Tragically, I no longer work there and haven't had an interview since. While I don't hold it against the hospital, I feel pretty slighted. I had been talking with HR for years about continuing on in nursing there, wanting to know what they wanted to see, etc. Sure, the economy sucks, but I just didn't feel like I was treated like someone who'd just received a five year pin.
Sadly, even though I'm a bit older, this was the first time I ever felt "loyal" to my employer (I just don't have that kind of work ethic because I've been shat on in the past as well). Guess it was the last time as well.