28 year old guy looking for answers

Fiona59 · Apr 10, 2017

You will be about the average of most new grads.

Now, here's the kicker. Calgary and Edmonton have the hardest job markets to crack. I've heard of experienced nurses who have been trying to get hired into AHS for two plus years.

There is no way of Knowing what the job market will be like in 2 or 3 years. AHS doesn't tell anyone who works for them anything. Most jobs are temporary postings for 3- 12 months. Full time lines are few and far between.

There used to be a good chance of getting hired onto your preceptorship unit but not anymore. Most new grads are coming into the system as float pool staff.

Rural is hiring and I don't mean Airdrie or Stony Plain. Think two hours outside of the major cities.

Most managers don't care about your previous work life, they care that you pass the registration exam first try. I've worked with nurses who used to be meat cutters, construction workers, morticians, and strippers.

Disciple88 · Apr 11, 2017

You will be about the average of most new grads.
Now, here's the kicker. Calgary and Edmonton have the hardest job markets to crack. I've heard of experienced nurses who have been trying to get hired into AHS for two plus years.
There is no way of Knowing what the job market will be like in 2 or 3 years. AHS doesn't tell anyone who works for them anything. Most jobs are temporary postings for 3- 12 months. Full time lines are few and far between.
There used to be a good chance of getting hired onto your preceptorship unit but not anymore. Most new grads are coming into the system as float pool staff.
Rural is hiring and I don't mean Airdrie or Stony Plain. Think two hours outside of the major cities.
Most managers don't care about your previous work life, they care that you pass the registration exam first try. I've worked with nurses who used to be meat cutters, construction workers, morticians, and strippers.

Thanks for your reply Fiona. Are most of these rural practical nursing jobs full time and permanent? If so I wouldn't mind at all moving out there for a while. I'd also be willing to go to rural BC or Saskatchewan to get the experience I need. I have no wife and kids as of yet so I am free to go anywhere.

Also why are managers so concerned if the applicant has passed the exam in the first attempt or not? Is it supposed to be really easy like multiple choice?

Fiona59 · Apr 11, 2017

Nobody knows what the job market will be like in 2020 or 2019. For rural positions, you'll just have to check the AHS job board. Sometimes there are full time, some times part time, and others only temporary postings. Heck, some of us have no idea if our unit will be still be open in six months.

The registration exam is NOT easy. Look at some of the old threads here. Everyone I've ever met (myself included) walked out of the exam going "what the hell just happened!" Yes, it's multiple choice, often with three correct answers out of four and you have to figure out which correct answer is the right correct answer.

Managers like people who pass the first time because, it can show you work well under pressure, lol. Grad nurses are hired and expected to write as soon as possible. I've met people who have failed the exam and been asked to leave. Coworkers start to wonder why you are still working as a grad nurse after 4-6 months. When I was hired as a Grad Nurse, we were only paid NA wages until the exam date. Pass first try, bring in that precious PASS certificate and we got back paid the hourly difference on our wages. If you failed and took the exam the second or third try, you were working at the lower wage with no back pay until the PASS was obtained. Fail it a third time and you lost your job.

Blake27 · Apr 11, 2017

You would likely have an easier time being hired at 31 as oppose to someone who may be a new graduate and 21. You have life experience that will help you in the work place. As for work opportunities, there seems to be lots of work but you may have to leave Alberta (or at least the main cities). In Vancouver, there is a large shortage of nurses. I can't speak for the rest of Canada. PS: Nursing school is challedning, but so rewarding! I recommend volunteering in a hospital or long term care facility to make sure it is for you.

shivv · Apr 14, 2017

It isn't as dramatic as that first poster makes it sound.

I am a RN in Edmonton, and have worked here for almost 9 years. I work in a big emergency department that is so desperate for staff that many of the new hires are new grads into full time lines! because a couple of years ago, AHS had a huge push to have only full time lines. This led to burnout, huge turnover, staffing issues, etc. hence the need to hire whoever would apply.

I have never met a student who didn't have a job right after graduation, whether it was with their preceptor unit or not. You don't have to leave to a rural area.

The main reason it is difficult to get hired within AHS if you are not already employed with AHS is because of all of the internal movement- nurses applying for different positions within the system.

Managers do not know how many times you wrote the exam unless you tell them. For the exam, NCSBN has a great online practice bank of questions that is reasonably priced and I'm pretty sure is the only reason I passed the NCLEX (RN licensing exam).

Nursing is a great job. I would recommend trying to get into a RN program right off the bat as opposed to a LPN program, just because I see a few of my friends working so hard at more school to upgrade to be a RN and I really feel for them.

Oh yeah, and your age doesn't matter. You won't get hired on because you're older and have more life experience. no. not how that works in nursing. Look at the area you want to be in and see what courses you can do externally to further yourself once you have graduated. So if you want to work emergency, try taking ACLS or TNCC. All of these little things give you "points" when the managers are going through the resumes. Also, after or during your second year of nursing, you can apply at some hospitals to be a UNE, and you pretty much work full scope as a nurse. Great experience.

Good luck!

Fiona59 · Apr 14, 2017

OP is wanting info on the PN diploma and job opportunities for LPNs.

last time I looked there was a total of 18 postings for LPNs ( including OR and Ortho Techs) in the Edmonton area. Most were temporary for less than a year.

Hardly a glut of opportunities. There is a closed Facebook page for practising LPNs. The truth is in Edmonton and Calgary Norquest and Bow Valley graduate a lot of new nurses each year.

Most new grads in my hospital come in via the float pools, either medicine or surgery. The new grads I work with manage probably a .8 each pay period.