whats a LPN to do?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 13, 2007

Apply to all of the facilities within a 50 mile radius from your home. If you are experiencing this extreme level of difficulty with landing a job, you must become willing to commute a long distance to a future workplace. Also, walk-ins are usually positive experiences, as many nursing homes will hire you on the spot if you walk in and complete the job application in person. Good luck, and I hope you find work soon.

jean333 · Nov 13, 2007

Thanks so much...where I live to go 50 miles would be really rough in the winter. We get pounded with snow and sometimes a 20 mile drive can turn into well over an hour. I am going to a hospital tomorrow that I have heard nothing but great things about. They hire LPN's and treat them great. It is a Veterans hospital and I have heard nothing but wonderful things. Will see what happens :)

Jean

JoAnnS · Nov 13, 2007

So its pretty sad out there so far for the job search. Hospitals only hire a few LPN'S. Doctors office...well they want at least one year experience. The nursing homes are full. I just put a resume in at a cardio office because it said, "new grads welcome" and my sister who does work in a doctors office told me that all the girls in her office said to stay clear of that place. They said they go through LPN's like crazy because they abuse their LPN's in a verbal way. They said they will call you stupid right to your face..YIKES...I would not think that was legal. Now if they call I don't know what to do?????I have a few more places to try but I had no idea it would be this hard. My age does not help either..I am 18. I am not giving up and of course I hope someone will take a chance on me but it does get frustrating
Jean

Hi what state do you live in?

I see ads all the time here in NY for LPNs

jean333 · Nov 13, 2007

I live in central NY and there are tons of adds that is so true but the problem has been they want 1 yr experience. Should I apply to those anyway? And its not like I don't have another job right now its just not a nursing job. I am a server for a country club but want of course now that I have finished school and passed my boards to work as a nurse. I am taking classes at our local college to be begin to work towards my RN. It may not help my cause that I look so young. I am 18 and what I did was finish highschool a year early. I also don't want to just settle. There is a nursing home that I know I could get a job at but I have heard its not the best place to work. I guess I am trying to hold out and maybe I am being to picky. :uhoh3:

Jean

ggal2933 · Nov 14, 2007

I would go ahead and apply anyway. I was a new LPN graduate last year and was hired on the spot at a doctors office and have been there almost a year. Good luck!

I live in central NY and there are tons of adds that is so true but the problem has been they want 1 yr experience. Should I apply to those anyway? And its not like I don't have another job right now its just not a nursing job. I am a server for a country club but want of course now that I have finished school and passed my boards to work as a nurse. I am taking classes at our local college to be begin to work towards my RN. It may not help my cause that I look so young. I am 18 and what I did was finish highschool a year early. I also don't want to just settle. There is a nursing home that I know I could get a job at but I have heard its not the best place to work. I guess I am trying to hold out and maybe I am being to picky.
Jean

mychelleb37 · Nov 14, 2007

I am not sure where you live but have you tried homecare? They are usually willing to train. Some range from children to adults or just one or the other. You can get alot of good experience including working with trached and vented patients who wish to stay in their homes. I worked in MD offices and homecare is what I have loved the most! Very rewarding experience!!!!!!!!! Good luck!!

caliotter3 · Nov 14, 2007

I agree with everything that the Commuter posted. I have always had better luck getting hired when I went in person. Sometimes I have been interviewed, and hired, on the spot. While most of the time I would discourage a new grad from going to home health without experience, it is possible. Some, but not all, agencies will hire a new grad. If you go this route and are hired, you must be assertive in seeing that you are trained to the case; that you receive as detailed an orientation on the case as you can get. Some agencies are good about this, but some will throw you to the dogs, expecting you to be "adaptable". If you run into the stone wall and exhaust your options, you might consider going back to the nursing homes and putting down CNA as well as LPN. You can get hired as a CNA (get health care experience) with the understanding that when an LPN opening becomes available you will get it. Your advantage is that you will have gained a knowledge of the residents while working as a CNA. This route has downsides, but it is better than being unemployed. Good luck in your job hunt and don't give up. Somebody has to hire you sometime.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Nov 14, 2007

Hi what state do you live in?
I see ads all the time here in NY for LPNs

I live in New York, also. I don't see ads often, per se, in newspapers, but Advance Magazine for LPNs has numerous ads for us. Where do you see your ads? I am thinking of working per diem elsewhere. Are you in the metropolitan area?

Thanks!

jean333 · Nov 14, 2007

I live around 4 hours away from NYC. There are always adds in our Sunday paper but all want at least one yr experience. I did interview for one job but the job was only 20 hrs per week and I had a feeling she was uncomfortable with my age. The place was very high end. They have had several home care positions with high pay(24.00 per hour) but those are clear, "no less than 1 yr experience" and to be honest for my first job I want to be around other nurses that are going to teach me. I know something will come along, I just have to keep trying. My sister works in a doctors office and she was hired without a years experience. It didn't hurt her that she was a home health aide for 5 years prior so she was not green. She is not really liking her job. She mostly sits at a desk and does patient referrals all day. She hates it. She wants to be more involved with patient care. She gives shots but thats about it. I would like to work in a hospital for my first job but I know thats hard. I did submit my resume to a cardiologist office that was supposedly not a good place to work but I did find out different. I would not mind at all working for a cardiologist. I kick myself for mailing my resume instead go going in personally. I had no idea where the place was because it had a strange address and they asked you to mail in your resume. I just found out yesterday that the office is only 10 minutes from my house. But I all ready sent it so not much I can do.Well I am hoping to have something by Dec 1st but will see, I al going to put my resume in a hospital today. Its a government hospital and is probably hard to get into but its worth a shot :) You know what I see adds for all the time..I mean like 20 adds a week? Dental Assistants..oh my goodness there are just tons and tons of adds looking for dental assistants. Interesting!

Jean

pagandeva2000, LPN · Nov 15, 2007

Jean, since you sent your resume to the cardiologist, consider paying them a visit. I think that by showing up, you will be demonstrating initiative. Good luck!

caliotter3 · Nov 15, 2007

Ditto what pagandeva said. Show up some Monday soon, dressed to interview, give your most pleasant smile, and ask about the status of your application, telling them that you really would like the opportunity to work there. Can't hurt, and you just might be given the chance. If they talk to you, stress the fact that you can be trained to the way they want things done and are anxious to learn. Good luck.