Why is nursing not working out for me?

[Lovethenurse2b25, ASN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

Hello All,

I feel like I have the worst luck finding the right job. Why is it so hard for new grads to obtain the right employment. Let me start of by saying I am in NJ. New Jersey is in dire need of nurses but yet the hospitals won’t hire any new grads without going through a residency which has a limited amount of spots. I have a per diem job at a rehab facility which I love but when covid hit we suffered tremendously and I was canceled. Also, there is no current full time opening. So I went on the hunt for a new job. My new position is home case management and I hate it already. Im surprised the company even hired me with only one year of experience to handle cases with oasis etc. I feel extremely lazying sitting in a car all day I miss bedside patient interactions. Not to mention I am afraid to eat because of how unsanitary public bathrooms are. I travel away from home to my clients homes. I thought that it would be a good fit for me as a single mother to work M-F 8-4. But I'm left with hours of extra charting at home with no overtime.

Not only that my new boss seems like a bully. I cant tell you how many times I overheard her threatening to write up employees for calling out. In fact she told one nurse she had not choice but to come in because they had no replacement during a power outage. I want to point out I hardly ever call out unless it is an emergency. I also overheard her and the regional direction threatening to make an employee ineligible for rehire if they left to work someplace else. It was if they wanted me to hear it in the office.

I almost feel like I was better off being unemployed because my employers are not friendly at all. Why would some one want to sabotage another nurses career. I met a family friend at my interview and she made everything seem so nice, hence why I took the job. But in fact the agency is struggling to keep nurses and now I know why. Im thinking maybe working for six months and then going on to a new employer but I’m afraid they will blacklist me.

Also with school being all remote I cant imagine teaching a 6 year old while trying to maintain my own work such as oasis etc. What did I do. All I want to do is work but not in a toxic high stress environment. I also have only a year of nursing experience.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I don't understand why you are calling yourself a new grad. You have an ASN and a BSN -- did you not work as an RN while you completed your BSN? ... And you say you have 1 year of nursing experience. That does not sound like a new grad. That may be part of your problem. Are you trying to apply for new grad positions and residencies when you are not a new grad anymore?

[Chickenlady]

You rather fit into the definition of an "old new grad" in that you are more than a year from licence but haven't worked full time. Suggest you stick it out in home health and get a solid year of full time experience to have some work history on your resume

[Lovethenurse2b25, ASN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

51 minutes ago, llg said:

I don't understand why you are calling yourself a new grad. You have an ASN and a BSN -- did you not work as an RN while you completed your BSN? ... And you say you have 1 year of nursing experience. That does not sound like a new grad. That may be part of your problem. Are you trying to apply for new grad positions and residencies when you are not a new grad anymore?

I just obtained my BSN less than a month ago. And Yes I did work I just met my one year mark as an RN. To answer your question no, I applied to many nurse residency positions last year with no luck. Also I’ve applied to non residency hospital positions as well.

[Lovethenurse2b25, ASN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

12 minutes ago, Chickenlady said:

You rather fit into the definition of an "old new grad" in that you are more than a year from licence but haven't worked full time. Suggest you stick it out in home health and get a solid year of full time experience to have some work history on your resume

Thank you I will consider it. The position was per diem but I worked 3 days a week and had a month of training up until our census started to tank. In the being before covid I was canceled a few times due to a low census over the Winter time. But once covid hit it was much worse. And I’ve worked this current per diem job for a year as of last month.

[JKL33]

2 hours ago, Lovethenurse2b25 said:

But I'm left with hours of extra charting at home with no overtime.

If this isn't something that can be expected to become significantly easier with more experience and even the experienced case managers are spending unpaid hours at night, that's a deal-breaker, IMO. I also wouldn't work for a true bully, life's too short. Keep in mind that you probably don't know all sides of the situations you have overheard her talking about.

Are you still not able to get many hours at the rehab facility? Or do you mean they cancelled your entire per diem position there?

[Lovethenurse2b25, ASN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

17 minutes ago, JKL33 said:

If this isn't something that can be expected to become significantly easier with more experience and even the experienced case managers are spending unpaid hours at night, that's a deal-breaker, IMO. I also wouldn't work for a true bully, life's too short. Keep in mind that you probably don't know all sides of the situations you have overheard her talking about.

Are you still not able to get many hours at the rehab facility? Or do you mean they cancelled your entire per diem position there?

My shift were cancelled for the month of march and may entirely and other shifts in between since march. As of now the entire month of august is open due to a few employees taking a LOA. And surprisingly enough a full time position just opened but I'm already in the case management position. Im afraid if I leave I’ll burn my bridges of ever getting into a hospital. The agency is hospital affiliated. I guess I jumped the gun to fast but I was also without work and pay for a while. Per diem does not qualify for PTO. Full time employees that were canceled were instructed to use PTO.

[Lovethenurse2b25, ASN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

13 hours ago, Lovethenurse2b25 said:

My preceptor is on vacation. So the agency puts me with someone who is also new and still on probation. I feel like this agency wants to set me up for failure. How can I learn anything if she is the process of learning herself. Not to mention Im afraid of asking any questions because I don’t want to interfere with her learning.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Go ahead and apply for the full time position. If you give proper notice you won't be burning any bridges.

[JKL33]

15 hours ago, Lovethenurse2b25 said:

And surprisingly enough a full time position just opened but I'm already in the case management position.

Apply. You already know it is a workplace you enjoyed. If you are offered the position then resign from the agency on the best terms you possibly can. Keep a positive attitude between now and then and all the way out the door.

[Lovethenurse2b25, ASN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

1 hour ago, JKL33 said:

Apply. You already know it is a workplace you enjoyed. If you are offered the position then resign from the agency on the best terms you possibly can. Keep a positive attitude between now and then and all the way out the door.

Thanks for the insight. Im keeping a happy face on. It's hard to remain happy when something new keeps happening everyday. I was suppose to get oasis training apparently no one knew their contract expired for the training software. This agency is a complete mess.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

32 minutes ago, Lovethenurse2b25 said:

Thanks for the insight. Im keeping a happy face on. It's hard to remain happy when something new keeps happening everyday. I was suppose to get oasis training apparently no one knew their contract expired for the training software. This agency is a complete mess.

Considering OASIS documentation is required for Medicare/ Medicaid payment, it is shocking that they are not on top of it. Of course they are bullies, they want new nurses like you to struggle to manage documentation on your own time. I doubt things will be any better in six months.

Best wishes... let us know when you get the rehab job!