RN Out of field--Refresher taken but still Refused Interviews (Denver: foreclosure, home) - Colorado (CO) - City-Data Forum

Belabor · 08-09-2009, 05:21 PM

After leaving nursing for 14 years for family reasons, I am now ready to return to work full time. I have taken an online refresher course, I have kept up with continuing education, I have reviewed procedures both by book and DVD. I have also been inside hospitals for friends and relatives hospitalizations as recently as 2007 and I see that the acuity level is higher, however, I do not see anything that I could not manage or excel in doing as I did before. The problem: I'm being told that my resume and cover letter do not "align" with the various positions for which I am applying. I talked with one recruiter who said, "We have so many resumes and applicants that we can afford to be "pickier." What does that mean? I need and want to work full-time and can now have a career having resolved the family issues. What do you suggest? Is this ambient discrimination related to age?

Katarina Witt · 08-09-2009, 07:38 PM

What it means is that nursing jobs are harder to land here than in some other places. When I lived in Champaign, IL, if you applied for a job you could usually be sure of being hired and they wanted you to start "yesterday". (Not sure what it's like there, now.) We came out here and I found out things were much different. There are more apps for every job, so the employers have an edge. I would suggest a refresher couse where you get some clinical experience. I took one at Red Rocks CC in Golden. Also, soon there will be ads for flu clinic nurses. These are seasonal, but they can sometimes lead to more permanent employment.

JourneyCC · 08-10-2009, 11:55 AM

It's hard enough for currently practicing RN's in non-med/surg jobs (abundance of those lately open) to compete along with all the other RN's here in CO. Definitely get some clinic experience and/or offer to shadow at a location that you like and go from there.

Side note: In CA I can pick/choose almost when/where I want to work, but here in CO, it's a whole different ballgame.

robsgoals · 08-12-2009, 12:31 AM

I had problems re-entering nursing, after a 2 year break due to incapacitating accident, also. . . Had to take a couple of jobs, that I didn't really want, for a couple of years. Moved to Denver to work for an Eden Alternative nursing home (with Pinion Management), and am in heaven since the day I started. . .

Consider working with us: job security that is so good it's a non-issue, highest quality of life job option I could find on the planet, and relationship building with Elders, and co-workers that can't be beat!

Otherwise, what's your specialty?

Ketabcha · 08-12-2009, 12:45 AM

I doubt that age has anything to do with it. A friend of mine, who is a DC, just finished RN school 2 years ago. She immediately got a job here in the DFW area but wants to move to the Bay Area and cannot find a job. hmmmm.

I never thought I would see the day when an RN could not find a job.

Belabor · 08-16-2009, 06:03 PM

I very much appreciate the time you took to reply. I'm quite sure if I didn't need to work, finding a job would not be a problem. Taking the online refresher was a necessity. After completing the requirements for reciprocity for the CO RN license, the time to apply to Red Rocks CC RN Refresher had passed. Now I'm faced with foreclosure (want to see people back off and run, just mention that "F" word) and I don't think I can find the funds to take another refresher course. I could walk into ANY hospital and nursing hasn't changed so much as the acuity of the patient has changed. I've compared the procedures from two sources. In MANY instances they're easier and faster due to better equipment. Do nurses work very hard...they do. But I assure you when I first started in nursing, I NEVER had an hour for a meal!

The Eden Alternative Nursing Home is a bit confusing. Is this a franchise? Do they have full-time RN opportunities? I cannot see anything but a neighborhood RN position to supervise LPN's and CNA's for 42 MS patients. Any further assistance would be appreciated.

Brian_M · 08-16-2009, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belabor

The problem: I'm being told that my resume and cover letter do not "align" with the various positions for which I am applying. I talked with one recruiter who said, "We have so many resumes and applicants that we can afford to be "pickier." What does that mean?

Well, have you Asked the HR what, Specifically, it means? How about the recruiter what it would take to become one to fill the 'pickier' spots? Those are the people who can answer your questions, and those answers are the Only ones that matter because the chances of finding someone here on CD who can/will hire you are pretty slim. So ask the people who can hire you to find out what would have been necessary to land the position.

Good luck though.

kdmcg · 12-01-2011, 10:22 PM

Dont waste your money. I took a refresher course with 120 clincial hours in a level one trauma center SICU here in Denver and I am getting the same answers that you are. One hospital told me that my 10 years of critical care experience were "in the past" and since I had been out of nursing for 10 years I was the same as a new grad, which they don't hire.