I’d love to find out how our graduates are finding things in their first year out.
Likewise, how are seasoned RN’s finding our new graduates?
One of the more common questions that seems to arise with nursing students, particularly in their last year, is whether it’s better to obtain a position in a grad year program or similar transition package, or whether it’s better to just try to find employment as an RN and worry about preferences later on.
Having been on a grad program myself & worked in many different clinical areas, I’m of the opinion that to start with I don’t think it’s particularly necessary to obtain a specialised grad year rotating program, as long as your clinical area has good support for new nurses. That’s not to say that it isn’t nice to land one of these jobs & try out some different areas, just that it doesn’t really matter so much if you don’t.
What’s more important is that you receive good support from your place of employment. Whether this is through debriefing sessions, supernumary time, buddying up with seniors or ongoing education, the important thing is that you feel like you are practising safely and know where to go for answers if you are not sure of something.
Additionally, remember that the transition period is always the hardest – it’s important that you stick things out & don’t take things too personally.
Even though it may not be to the same extent, I’m sure the difficulties in a graduate year are not exclusive to nursing. Similar professions such as physiotherapists, radiographers, students who are studying for medical coding certification, or any number of a whole host of allied health positions come across similar issues in their first year out.
So, what are your thoughts or experiences – if you’re a new nurse, how is your graduate year going so far?
If you have grad nurses in your clinical area, how do you think they are going??
What can be changed or improved, and do you feel like we are practising ‘safely’?
If you’ve done a bit of time in a clinical area as a new RN, it makes it easier to get into a different area that you’re interested in.
I would suggest landing a job in any area that you can, eg general medical, hooking in for 6mths or a year, then go approach the clinical areas that you’d like to be in. Show a lot of interest, and NUM’s will be much more inclined to take you on with some experience behind you.
Hi
well in response to how is your first nursing year for all those thinking of doing a bachelor of nursing THINK AGAIN . I graduated in Nov 2009 and have no nursing job as an RN and get this i work for Qld Health, a GPA of 6. I have applied to all the Grad Programs and interstate to,also applied for level 5 nurses job but i to get any job i need experience and to get experience i need a job as an RN. Although the Gov is advertising for more nurses on television they fail to tell you that they want EXPERIENCED NURSING STAFF. I have been informed that 300 graduates from one uni and 400 from another in Brisbane did not gain employment. So what now ????? I am seriously thinking of enroling in a masters of mental health is my only option because without a RN position I loose my clinical skills. ANY ONE ELSE IN THIS SITUATION ????
CHEERS
jc
Hi jc,
I wonder is the lack of graduate positions a symptom of the financial crisis?
I recently went to the nursing expo in Brisbane and they said graduate positions were harder to get this year than in the past.
She mentioned it been cyclical and hopefully it will improve when the economy improves.
I guess that is no consolidation for you. Hopefully you perseverance will pay off.
Good Luck,
Dave
Hi Ross,
I ducted out of my new grad year, and am hiding in graduate school for two years before hitting the floor. However, I do know my friend Angela is actually using her blog to talk about her new grad year at http://fourletterslater.com/ – she even moved across the country (Canada) for her new job.
Can’t wait to hear what others say,
Rob
Hi JC
have you thought about coming down to Tasmania to nurse?
I graduated in 2006 in QLD and had no problem getting a graduate program, nor did any of my friends. And now 4 years later I see 3rd year nursing students who are pulling their hair out over the stress of not getting a graduate position or any RN job next year. Its just horrible to see these hard working students going through all this stress along with the stress of exams and assignments. I spent the first 3yrs after graduating working in a variety of settings and have now comfortably settled into specialising in intensive care nursing. One of the new graduates in my department took a position in ICU because that was the only position she could get and she struggled to find her feet despite the great support in our department because the speciality of intensive care can be quite demanding to a new graduate. Now she doesnt know if nursing is right for her and we are potentially going to lose this fantastic nurse. What a pity!
JC You are not alone! There are hundreds of new grads in Aust right now without jobs! And thanks to AHPRA, those of us lucky enough to land a mid-year position are about to lose those since AHPRA can’t process applications to save their lives! Go on Julia Gillard’s facebook page and Tony Abbotts as well. Start talking! You’ll see I put up some comments on their pages!
I’ve had friends apply to NT, WA, NSW, SA and VIC. (I don’t know anyone who has tried to go to Tas sorry, it is a bit too cold for us QLDers I think
) and all those have been knocked back because the states are suppose to look after their own grads first, not grads from other states. And when there are grads in every state unable to secure a job, well I’d be very unhappy if I found out a bunch of grads from interstate had been given jobs over QLD grads!
Oh and please nobody talk to me about going rural, I tried!!! Mt Isa, Toowoomba, Roma, Charlesville, Bundy, Rocky, Mackay, Cairns… just a few of those who were not hiring for mid year!!! When there are 1000 new grads at mid year, you think some of these rural hospitals would open their arms. Aren’t they suppose to be desperate for nurses? Is Brisbane and the GC the only places that hire new grads at midyear? I’m more than prepared to travel 1000 km to get a grad year… if there was one available.
JC
Hi guys thanks for all your replies. Well since my first post i have applied for at least another 20 jobs as a new grad and I still have my fingers crossed i will find something. maybe i will have to enquire about Tassie for a job. Are their jobs going in tassie does anyone know????
I am getting sick of feeling like a shit kicker at work being told what to do all the time. Even though I am a registered RN I am not aloud to use my brain because i am employed as an AIN in a public hospital, but agency staff ask you what to do. yesterday I had to direct most of the work load and check that everything was done by the agency RN and shes getting twice my wage. Is anyone else out there a registered nurse working as an AIN ????
by the way, no, I don’t want to do agency work, because the work is not reliable and i have bills and a house to pay off and my AIN job is with a major public bne hospital and is secure.
I hope some of you have landed a job
good luck
JC
I am about to graduate as a nurse in Brisbane also. I applied to qld health and have found the whole process and system to be appalling. I applied to many hospitals but only had one interview and when I arrived they told me that they were interviewing 160 people for 35 jobs! I am heart broken that I can not find a job in the career that I have spent 3 years working towards. I then called many agencies and rural hospitals as I would be happy to move to get work but have been told that they are only taking RN’s with at least 6 months work behind them.
Is anyone able to suggest what I now need to do to get work as an RN?
Hi SH
you have my sympathy, if you get any suggestions on how to get the experience please put it on this site as i am also a victim of no current job prospects as an RN. Ive applied to every grad program and have not had an interview yet. SO good luck with yours. I am still applying for positions. Has anyone out their got any ideas on where i can get unpaid work as an RN for 3 months i need experience to get a real job, and am willing to travel.
any ideas
thanks guys
JC
Hi there,
Not sure whether I am glade to know I am not alone in this or not. I graduated end of 2009 and have been applying to new grad programs all over Australia. I did all my training in NZ, but want to relocate to Australia. It sounds as it is hard to get a foot in the door.
I thought my last way out would be to try to get a job without doing the new grad year. Has anyone any info in regards to this??
Am I doomed working so hard to get qualified and now I can’t find a new grad position?
Is it wiser to stay in NZ and then go after my new grad year?
Anyone in the same boat with some tips up their sleeve?
//Ella NZ
have you new grads thought of working in aged care for 3-6months
even though that is not acute nursing you will still get some experience that will go towards employment
Maybe you at not looking at the bigger picture
are you just looking at the cities or have you looked into rural areas
The hospitals in Far north Queensland are always taking on nes grads
Atherton took on 4-6 grads this year
good luck
JC
Hi Guys
Just got another knock back from sunnybank hospital for a graduate position. the only remark was you were unsuccessful in obtaining a interview for the position and good luck for your future nursing.
Well, yes i have applied for rural jobs as a grade 5 nurse and interstate too, but i keep getting the reply that we cannot employ you with out 3 to 6 months experience or other jobs on seek.com want from 2 years experience so what now????? I now owe aprox 26000 in hecs and no job with no job prospects as an RN, sure i still have a job as an AIN but I have studied with an adverage of a distinction cannot land a job. I am now considering working for notohing for 3 months just to gain experinece. Can anyone out their help or know of any RN positions. please email me.
Julien4677137@hotmail.com
cheers JC.
I graduated from my bachelor of nursing last year. I noticed no one could tell me what would happen if I didn’t get a new grad position. They would joke that no one ever misses out. So when we all graduated most of us missed out seeing our grad year was 200 or so people and the positions at our only regional hospital were around 30. I went back to uni and Im studying podiatry. Was also offered a master of nursing.
For nursing work I now work part time. When I got out I just applied to about 8 places. Applied for positions I was really unqualified for. I got 8 offers. Some in disabilities, some in community, 2 in aged care, one in a private hospital. (This is in Sydney)
I really recommend not aimming for a new graduate spot in a hospital. I know it would be great for the experience but hit up aged care. You will be challenged daily. Do part time there and part time AIN in the hospital and then they will put you on as an RN when they feel you are comfortable to hit the floor. Just keep pushing for that opportunity to your NUM. Also mental health are absolutey screaming for people right now.
Don’t worry too much about the experience part of applications because when they are desperate they will give you a shot and you will be able to prove you can handle it.
Hi I finish my degree in 1 week and 2 assignments time. I applied for a new grad positon in NSW and I found out just yesterday that I was unsuccessful! I feel really devistated by this and uncertain where my future lies in nursing. I too am a D average student, I was awarded a scholarship and I am already working as an AIN in public hospital and they were not interested at all about any of this at interview time! I feel really hopeless at the moment and very unemployable… What next.. I was going to apply for any RN jobs once my paperwork from the uni is ready for registration, but I feel like it’s going to be such a struggle… it’s very heartbreaking, I love nursing and so badly want to get out there and work and contribute to the profession but unfortunately I may not have the opportunity!!
Hey all.
I am soon to finish my BN course this year aswell. I currently have 2 AIN jobs in NSW, but am moving to QLD in January 2011. I did not receive my first round offer in Brisbane, and hoping that i get a second round. How much longer should i wait before i give up hope in that idea? I did think about the aged care approach, will do some web browsing today to see what i can find. All my friends got new grad positions in NSW (as did i, but i declined). It’s a shame that I have to move to Queensland, because I would have a job here
. Or if i didnt get the RN job, would have my AIN jobs.
Really wish there was no financial crisis, would have made my life easier
Hope everyone does eventually get jobs
ali
Hey guys,
I’m in the same position as you all, but was wondering what the rules are with QLD Health. If we work for say 3 months as an RN can we then apply to do a grad program again, or are we no longer ‘grads’????
This is what I have heard but it seems so silly?
Char
Hey there
At my hospital we’ve been seeing a lot of nursing students unable to get a place on a graduate program. It’s very sad when you think of all the hard work these students have put into getting through uni, not to mention the unpaid hours during clinical placements, only to not have employment at the end of it.
Another problem that’s happening in SA is that the nurses finishing their graduate program are not able to get work in any of the public hospitals because of the hiring freeze. It sucks.
Julie
Don’t feel bad. I’m from the USA and out of the 120 people I graduated with, only 15 of us have found jobs. Hence why I’m desperate I’m looking into other countries for a job! (Not to mention it sounds like a major cool experience.) So apparently this stupid job freeze is everywhere!
Nursing is a female dominated industry and as such we constantly have women on parental leave which can be taken until their youngest child is school age. Subsequently these postions are contracted out until the RN returns. When they return part-time, their other hours are filled by part-timers whose children are older,who have more work availability, and who need more money to educate their children. It is an interesting cycle but one that makes it hard for new Grads. Keep trying and get experience anywhere you can.
All those who didn’t get it, keep your heads up. Compared to last year, I’d say that this year accepted more. There was a huge amount last year that were put on the eligibility list and I can honestly say that I don’t know anyone who is still on it. This is as jobs eventually came up from openings, rejections and from those who didn’t meet the criteria that had applied. Although it’s a huge waiting game, just try and stay positive. The last friend of mine who landed a job was offered it at the children’s hospital in August (after graduating in dec). Although I would highly suggest you apply everywhere (nursing homes, day surgerys, medical centres), just be careful where you work though because it was said in Childrens Westmead that if you work as an RN somewhere else you are ineligible to go for the new grad program as you’re not new. Just follow up on what different hospitals require. Anyway, I’d say mainly international students didn’t get it this year, so sad as they pay soo much more. Does anyone know when second round offers come out? As I keep giving my friend false hope by constantly telling her to check her email :s
JC
hi guys
Well i graduated in November 2009 and have applied for more than 50 jobs now, i,ve had 4 interviews but still no luck at landing a job as an RN. I have applied for Qld Health for whom i have work for the past 2 years as an AIN but had no job offers. I feel because i am mature age i am being descriminated against (as i was informed by one panell that they seem to be employing the young grads. I have worked so hard to attain a GPA of 6 plus 7 years of working in the community and in various nursing homes you think i,d land some job. By the way I have applied for nursing homes, rural hospitals as well as all the private and public hospitals. I am now thinking of leaving and getting another job as working as an AIN although i am a Registered Nurse is becoming very depressing, if i wanted to work as an AIN i would not have completed my nursing degree.
By the way according to Qld Health if you do any work as an RN you cant apply for the grad program so think twice before you consider any agency work.
Getting tired of the whole situation
Kind Regards
JC
Hello to all,
Just wanted to tell you all not to give up hope, I have heard that there will be more (not sure how many) grad year positions advertised soon with private hospitals/nursing homes etc, so keep combing through SEEK, My Career, and any other employment website.
I live in Victoria, and studied externally at Uni SA. I was automatically placed on the bottom of the lists for the computer match we have here in Vic because I trained interstate. I am an EN with 9 years acute experience and a GPA good enough for me to attend an honours year. Out of 7 applications and interviews I had 6 rejections. Finally just yesterday, I gained a grad year starting in May ’11 in a metropolitan private hospital. A lot later than the Feb start I hoped for, but it’s a grad year. I only gained this position because I had phoned the hospital and they told me that they may have positions coming up. I called back 1 week later to show them I was still interested and have there been any decisions made, 1 week later I received a phone call to attend an interview. My suggestions are not to give up hope; review your CV and cover letter; make phone calls to show your interest; follow up leads from those phone calls; ring the hospitals that are having extensions/new wards built; practise mock interviews with RN’s if you can or other students; call back the hospitals you applied to and ask them why they did not consider you, take the information on board and improve yourself; prepare for the interview by researching everything you can on the hospital you have applied for and memorise it; write down your strengths according to the nursing competency standards and memorise them; remember difficult situations you have faced and how they were resolved, because you will be asked this question in interviews; go into the interview with confidence; don’t be shy and speak up; even joke about yourself a couple of times at the interview, it shows the interviewers that you are human. Finally remember why you wanted to become a nurse and believe in yourself!
PJD
Over the past few months I’ve heard lots of stories from friends, students and current EEN colleagues unable to get RN jobs – thankfully most have jobs lined up when they finish.
I am currently a Graduate in a public hospital on a medical ward. At first I was disappointed on not getting a full-time position (because that’s what we all aim for) and secondly I thought a medical ward would be boring. I have been totally wrong on both points, we are always full and take a lot of patients mean’t for other wards and I’m picking up extra skills.
During the first few weeks I still felt like I was on prac – I was asking heaps of questions to everyone I could. I feel a lot more settled now (3mths in) but I now realise that I have heaps more to learn.
I have 2 buddy nurses that I see alot and are always happy to help me out, and the rest of the staff still understand that I have questions and they help me work through my concerns. There are heaps of education sessions that all staff can attend and I have extra grad books and self-directed learning packages from the Clinical Teacher to work through.
Overall I am glad I got into a Graduate Program, but I feel that if the staff are supportive and understanding, that any new nurse could start working without a graduate program
Hi all, don’t lose hope. I just finished my nursing degree in Melbourne and was offered a grad program in Melbourne and Qld in 2 major public hospitals. I believe that communicating with hospitals throughout the process helps
It is an absolute tragedy to see so many of you motivated and passionate about nursing but not getting jobs! I can tell you the reasons why this has occurred from the QLD perspective. Graduate RN’s have shawed up the deficits in the nursing workforce in Qld Health for the past 4 yrs or so, now there is a massive skill mix issue resulting in wards looking further afield for more senior staff. The other reason is due to the GFC existing staff increased their hours and became less transient. Another knock on was the interst rate rises nurses headed bush – cheaper housing and susidised accomodation.It is much harder to find work in the bush than what it used to be. My suggestion is to keep trying, get work in nursing homes but be careful there are planty of dodgy ones!If it doesn’t feel right don’t do it.It is a shame as in the next 5-10 years Australia will loose over a quarter of it’s nursing workforce due to retirement. This leaves a gap even with current graduates graduating from bachelor of nursing! State and federal governments are not taking heed of workforce planning strategies and as most things in health when the stool hits the proverbial it will be reactional and not proactive.
After reading the informative comments , I have decided only to study To EN level.
Thankyou for the info and goodluck in finding jobs. Guess I am lucky as I can work in Thailand easily as well due to duel citizenship.
Hello!
This is very concerning. This year I start my final year… Fingers crossed I get a grad position.
Thanks for the insight everyone.
Travis.
Hey
Im about to start my 2nd year at uni and im so glad i found this, i guess i can now be more prepared, i had no idea how hard it could be if you didn’t get a new grad position. i did however read up on some exchange type programs where you go over to the uk and work. has anyone done anything like this?
hope you guys have some better luck, its awful after you have spent the money and time getting a degree only to get no job.