Need advice on a Nursing Job (Denver, Colorado Springs: how much, hotels, homes)

[Ram-945]

My husband and I just moved to Denver from Texas a few months ago. My husband will be retiring here within the next few years. I graduated Nursing School as a RN, a few weeks before we moved here. I have applied for 127 positions total between Denver Health, HCA, Centura, and every other hospital from Denver, Ft Collins, Colorado Springs. I receive the automated email from the recruiters saying thanks for applying, however we apologize we are not hiring new grads or we r looking at other applicants who's skills more closely compare to the job. Even though the job announcement says may consider new grads. It has been 4 months with no success. Please does anyone have any advice?

[jazzlover]

Katiana on this forum may have some advice for you.

What I do know is that, unlike most places, there is a surplus of nursing grads in Colorado for the number of positions available. In my area in rural Colorado, more and more hospitals are utilizing "roaming" nurses who may work in several different hospitals. Doing this, the hospitals can stay at near full nursing staff without having to hire additional nurses. A lot of those nurses get run ragged traveling all over the region to work, but it saves the hospitals money. It also means, though, that there is much less demand for more "warm bodies" in the profession.

Also, like everything else in the public sector, publicly-funded hospitals in Colorado (and that is most of them) are getting double-squeezed by a heavy Medicaid/Medicare patient load that is a money-loser for them, while the public tax revenues that provide additional financial support to them is drying up, as well. Like any other business, a hospital or clinic's biggest expense is labor costs, so that is the first thing that gets cut when times get tough--and tough they are.

Finally, Colorado schools continue to turn out a high number of nursing grads every year. Like it or not, there is a strong bias, especially outside of the metro areas, toward hiring local residents for any available openings.

A friend whose daughter was in a similar situation to you, after looking for a nursing job here in Colorado for many months, finally accepted a job working as a nurse at a remote clinic on an Indian Reservation in Arizona--and she had to compete against numerous other applicants for that job.

[vfrpilot]

Just a thought> A friend of ours became an RN a couple of years ago. Upon graduation she also could not find an RN position in COS. She volunteered for a few months and was able to get hired into a full time position. But she was connected, having done her schooling locally.
Our daughter graduated nursing school in San Diego at the end of 2010. Out of her class only 2 had positions upon passing the board exams. Luckily she was 1 of the 2. Not too long ago most of those RN's would've had multiple offers, most with bonuses. Things have changed.
Good Luck. Hopefully you will find something soon.

[VenusAllen]

Have you considered commuting a couple of hours from home, even if you have to fly? While not optimal, it may help you get your foot in the door later. My wife is also a recent nursing school graduate and we were so intent on moving to Colorado (moved from KY 4 months ago) we decided to do whatever it took, even something as extreme as if it meant she had to fly somewhere, live in hotels for a few days, rinse and repeat. We went so far as to check airfares to Phoenix, Vegas, Albuquerque, etc. Fortunately, she was able to land a gig about an hour away in Farmington, NM, and at a hospital she LOVES. Btw, her hospital, San Juan Regional Medical Center currently needs 25 nurses and they love new grads. Starting pay is $22.75, fwiw.
Almost forgot, a new-grad classmate of hers got on immediately at Ideal Image (laser hair removal, no kidding) in Colorado Springs making a similar wage so you might hit them up. Hope this helps and good luck.

[coloradogreycat]

Ram-945, do you have an ADN or BSN? I wonder how much of a difference that makes for new grads right now.

[Ram-945]

I have an ADN but I'm 2 months into my BSN.

[VenusAllen]

Fwiw my wife only has an Associate's.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Ram-945

My husband and I just moved to Denver from Texas a few months ago. My husband will be retiring here within the next few years. I graduated Nursing School as a RN, a few weeks before we moved here. I have applied for 127 positions total between Denver Health, HCA, Centura, and every other hospital from Denver, Ft Collins, Colorado Springs. I receive the automated email from the recruiters saying thanks for applying, however we apologize we are not hiring new grads or we r looking at other applicants who's skills more closely compare to the job. Even though the job announcement says may consider new grads. It has been 4 months with no success. Please does anyone have any advice?

I came here in 1980 as an experienced nurse and nevertheless had a hard time finding a job. Colorado has rarely experienced the "nursing shortages" that other states have due to large numbers of people locating here.

My advice for you would be to look at nursing homes. That is what a friend's daughter did when she first graduated with a BSN. She eventually (about a year later) got a job at Children's Hospital. If you are going for your BS, I'd focus on that and when you get out you can look for a job more to your liking.