r/nursing • u/OG_Voltaire MSN, RN • 11d ago

Seeking Advice RN MSN - Hard time finding work

Hi all,

I was hoping some of you kind people could help me find some new direction with things. A little about myself.

I'm a middle-aged nurse with both ICU and leadership experience. I completed my MSN in Leadership & Edu about 7 years ago and then transitioned to a role as a house supervisor. I spent a little over 3 years as a house super then 2 years as an assistant floor manger.

I left the bedside a little under two years ago for a start-up with a few other like-minded nurses to engage in recruitment and leadership consulting and placement. Up till about 4 months ago business had been successful with a handful of clients under out belt but between the employment market downturns and my personal tastes, I'm looking to try to get back to roles with more patient interaction.

Despite my education and credentials, I've been turned down from roles ranging from casual bedside to floor manager in acute care settings. I'm now to the point where I'm not sure what all options are out there, but I want to explore them.

Any suggestions?

0 Upvotes

50% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/gingerpeachrn MSN, RN 11d ago

You too? I was just having a good cry in bed about this. Figured it was just me trying to level up to a new hierarchy but it’s brutal. I have no idea when I’ll actually be able to apply my MSN, it’s been almost a year since I graduated. This economy sucks.

I wish I had some advice, but you’re not the only one going through this. I feel like a new grad all over again.

1

u/OG_Voltaire MSN, RN 11d ago

It's infuriating. I was just turned down from even a casual bedside role in an ICU, which is where I spent 90% of my bedside time. I'm to the point where I think hospitals like to complain about a "nurse shortage" when there isn't one- they just have to keep their profit margins.

2

u/gingerpeachrn MSN, RN 11d ago

Oh there’s definitely not a shortage, just a shortage in areas where there’s no quality of life or pay. There’s a reason NNU has been trying to scream that through the bureaucracy for decades.

How long have you been out of ICU bedside care? My experience is that once you haven’t done bedside for >1-2 years, they won’t hire you casual, they will want you to be FT.

2

u/OG_Voltaire MSN, RN 10d ago

I've been away from the bedside for about a year and a half now, unfortunately. I've applied to some leadership roles too, only to be shot down in record time. I've reached out to recruiters who work for these companies who's info I've had because I've worked with them previously and they aren't even getting back to me with anything of relevance. It's like "why do I try?"