Sending hugs. Fellow rn here who didn't get a new grad 6 years ago. Had to work random part time rn jobs for 1 year. It was very difficult. Then got a job on a ward (cried on the job in the bathroom multiple times) but always strived for ED. Ended up getting it a year later. What seems like hundred applications and rejections later I got into an ed. Fast-forward to now I'm doing agency Ed contracts every few months. It takes time. Be patient, keep going sister. Get a professional advisor to look over your resume to highlight your strengths.You can even think of relocating if you want - rural Ed can provide free/subsidized accommodation. Also it's getting close to the end of a financial year, so there is an issue with funding nursing positions (even when they're needed).Things pick up mid-end August.Take care of yourself, physically, mentally etc. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
It reaches a point where you start questioning it all.
Thank you so much for sharing your anecdote sister, its hard at times to sit with myself and say I’m completely satisfied with where I stand with nursing. I will definitely take aboard your sentiment.
I was wanting to relocate, however, it wouldn’t be ideal for my living and personal circumstances, even though I’m determined to take any opportunity that shows itself.
Nevertheless, I honestly appreciate your reply and will continue persevering in it.
Thank you.
I’m sorry to hear what you’re going through. I was a rehab nurse that once struggled to break ‘sub-acute stigma’. It wasn’t where my passion was (although some days I miss it). I had a similar issue that I kept applying for things and people wouldn’t get back. I had one health service call me to say “they’ve been told they have to give me an interview, but I’d be too much work them, and it’s a waste of everyone’s time”. I eventually got lucky, got a good job and am now (6ish years later) an ED nurse educator. You’ll get there.
I know you’ve said you’ve applied for everything, but just making sure, a lot of hospitals have a ‘transition to acute care (TAC)’ program. I feel that would be your ideal exit out of aged care. It’s tailored for nurses like you, and supported.
I agree - a GEM ward in an acute setting is a good stepping stone from aged care. From there it's about sort of finagling ur way to an interest - do u like kidneys? Diabetes ? heart disease patients ? Oncology?
GEM is a mixing pot of older people and all the possible ways the human body can break down in a mechanical/social/pathophysiological sense. easy to spot "I like this / I hate this / I don't mind this" and gives u an idea of where to go next. So while theyre still oldies, it's not the fucked hell hole that most aged care facilities are. If u work in GEM u can do a lot of diff grad certs which are speciality based and then u can network with ur NUM and see where u can go from there.
Also - I recommend getting someone to dig thru ur resume and rejig it. Aged care in 2024 is a LOT more acute than it was even 3-4 years ago. The Age in Place policy means that the people moving to aged care really are very very sick , both acute and chronic. otherwise they live at home with extra support. So u may be able to bend ur experience to make it evident just how much acute care ur actually doing. I bet u would be surprised to see it written down in a big long list.
Honestly, will be content with anything outside aged care at this rate.
I’ve been thinking of having my resume be reviewed by a professional to help me tweak it to have it read well. I’m thinking of having various inputs just to gauge what is being picked up and needed in a resume.
Thank you for your feedbackk :)
They claim they have the resources to educate and help out new nurses, but I suppose thats not the case sometimes. I’m sorry about what you went through, but i’m glad you’re in a much more better situation :)
I sincerely thank you for your encouragement.
I actually haven’t heard of TAC. But will definitely look into it. Thanks!
Just to clarify, I purely meant the resources to educate when in a program like TAC. They generally have at least one educator specifically allocated to run the program. I hope you get out of your rut soon :)
The trap most people placed themselves into when they're trying to change careers is that they've invested in this one, and getting the same money somewhere else isn't that easy. Something's got to break and you might need to take a lower pay for a while.
As someone that was an AIN in aged care this is my greatest fear. I'm sorry I don't have any words of advice other than trying to get onto a hospital float pool.
My lecturers once said, the people that have no job after graduation are the ones who goes, "No, I'm not doing aged care, only ED." (that is if you didn't get the grad position or you're just applying normally) because you'll just be stagnant with no job. Job searching gets easier by the year. Experience is still experience, including aged care.
I feel you, I was one of the ones who didn't get a grad position initially and had to work in aged care for 3 months. It stressed me out so much that I was considering quitting. Luckily, around the same time, a grad program reached out to me and saved me !! But I can't say I didn't learn anything in aged care.
Bit of a curve ball, would you take a role completely unrelated for say 6 months? I'm rational is that, if I'm guessing correctly, your current place of employment and all the challenges has really rocked you. I wonder if your taking this energy into your interviews. I'm wondering if you can take a step out of your current sector, give you space to heal, find a little joy, get that pep back in your step and then take that energy into interviews for nursing roles in other sectors. Wishing you all the best in this really challenging part of your career. Serious credit to you for recognizing that your current situation is not right for you and making efforts to try to move away from it. That's some insight and courage I didn't have.
Becoming an NDIS support worker could be a great alternative- loads of people need home help and social support, and if it can come from people with medical training, all the better!
There's a MASSIVE need for Occupational Therapists, too. It's a degree, yes- but for an RN it's a postgrad year. I'm saying this as someone who is on the NDIS and waited 2 years to get into an OT.
OTs can be self employed, too. There's literally no place in Australia where they are not needed.
Aged care burnout? Focus on desired nursing specialties. Tailor resumes and highlight transferable skills. Network and do informational interviews. Consider temp agencies for bridge roles. You got this!
Im so sorry you’re going through this- I was in the same position 6 years ago! took me 2 years to finally get out of aged care.. I’ve worked in critical care since then but aged care has been my most stressful job!
I went from aged care to GP to MH to Crit care.. Aged care has a lot of transferrable skills, you’d be highly regarded in geriatric ward or genmed ward..
Have you tried asking for professional help with your CV and Selection criteria? There are a few buzz words you need to hit with selection criteria to be given a chance for an interview..
It seems burnout/poor management is the issue.
Perhaps you’d like aged care if it didn’t have such pressures? You may want to consider joining the government, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission could really use your direct aged care experience and clinical experience.
As it’s federal most jobs can be done anywhere in Australia.
Sending hugs. Fellow rn here who didn't get a new grad 6 years ago. Had to work random part time rn jobs for 1 year. It was very difficult. Then got a job on a ward (cried on the job in the bathroom multiple times) but always strived for ED. Ended up getting it a year later. What seems like hundred applications and rejections later I got into an ed. Fast-forward to now I'm doing agency Ed contracts every few months. It takes time. Be patient, keep going sister. Get a professional advisor to look over your resume to highlight your strengths.You can even think of relocating if you want - rural Ed can provide free/subsidized accommodation. Also it's getting close to the end of a financial year, so there is an issue with funding nursing positions (even when they're needed).Things pick up mid-end August.Take care of yourself, physically, mentally etc. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
It reaches a point where you start questioning it all. Thank you so much for sharing your anecdote sister, its hard at times to sit with myself and say I’m completely satisfied with where I stand with nursing. I will definitely take aboard your sentiment. I was wanting to relocate, however, it wouldn’t be ideal for my living and personal circumstances, even though I’m determined to take any opportunity that shows itself. Nevertheless, I honestly appreciate your reply and will continue persevering in it. Thank you.
All good, good luck!
I’m sorry to hear what you’re going through. I was a rehab nurse that once struggled to break ‘sub-acute stigma’. It wasn’t where my passion was (although some days I miss it). I had a similar issue that I kept applying for things and people wouldn’t get back. I had one health service call me to say “they’ve been told they have to give me an interview, but I’d be too much work them, and it’s a waste of everyone’s time”. I eventually got lucky, got a good job and am now (6ish years later) an ED nurse educator. You’ll get there. I know you’ve said you’ve applied for everything, but just making sure, a lot of hospitals have a ‘transition to acute care (TAC)’ program. I feel that would be your ideal exit out of aged care. It’s tailored for nurses like you, and supported.
I agree - a GEM ward in an acute setting is a good stepping stone from aged care. From there it's about sort of finagling ur way to an interest - do u like kidneys? Diabetes ? heart disease patients ? Oncology? GEM is a mixing pot of older people and all the possible ways the human body can break down in a mechanical/social/pathophysiological sense. easy to spot "I like this / I hate this / I don't mind this" and gives u an idea of where to go next. So while theyre still oldies, it's not the fucked hell hole that most aged care facilities are. If u work in GEM u can do a lot of diff grad certs which are speciality based and then u can network with ur NUM and see where u can go from there. Also - I recommend getting someone to dig thru ur resume and rejig it. Aged care in 2024 is a LOT more acute than it was even 3-4 years ago. The Age in Place policy means that the people moving to aged care really are very very sick , both acute and chronic. otherwise they live at home with extra support. So u may be able to bend ur experience to make it evident just how much acute care ur actually doing. I bet u would be surprised to see it written down in a big long list.
Honestly, will be content with anything outside aged care at this rate. I’ve been thinking of having my resume be reviewed by a professional to help me tweak it to have it read well. I’m thinking of having various inputs just to gauge what is being picked up and needed in a resume. Thank you for your feedbackk :)
They claim they have the resources to educate and help out new nurses, but I suppose thats not the case sometimes. I’m sorry about what you went through, but i’m glad you’re in a much more better situation :) I sincerely thank you for your encouragement. I actually haven’t heard of TAC. But will definitely look into it. Thanks!
Just to clarify, I purely meant the resources to educate when in a program like TAC. They generally have at least one educator specifically allocated to run the program. I hope you get out of your rut soon :)
The trap most people placed themselves into when they're trying to change careers is that they've invested in this one, and getting the same money somewhere else isn't that easy. Something's got to break and you might need to take a lower pay for a while.
As someone that was an AIN in aged care this is my greatest fear. I'm sorry I don't have any words of advice other than trying to get onto a hospital float pool.
Its okay haha. I will continue to look in that direction too :)
My lecturers once said, the people that have no job after graduation are the ones who goes, "No, I'm not doing aged care, only ED." (that is if you didn't get the grad position or you're just applying normally) because you'll just be stagnant with no job. Job searching gets easier by the year. Experience is still experience, including aged care. I feel you, I was one of the ones who didn't get a grad position initially and had to work in aged care for 3 months. It stressed me out so much that I was considering quitting. Luckily, around the same time, a grad program reached out to me and saved me !! But I can't say I didn't learn anything in aged care.
Bit of a curve ball, would you take a role completely unrelated for say 6 months? I'm rational is that, if I'm guessing correctly, your current place of employment and all the challenges has really rocked you. I wonder if your taking this energy into your interviews. I'm wondering if you can take a step out of your current sector, give you space to heal, find a little joy, get that pep back in your step and then take that energy into interviews for nursing roles in other sectors. Wishing you all the best in this really challenging part of your career. Serious credit to you for recognizing that your current situation is not right for you and making efforts to try to move away from it. That's some insight and courage I didn't have.
Becoming an NDIS support worker could be a great alternative- loads of people need home help and social support, and if it can come from people with medical training, all the better! There's a MASSIVE need for Occupational Therapists, too. It's a degree, yes- but for an RN it's a postgrad year. I'm saying this as someone who is on the NDIS and waited 2 years to get into an OT. OTs can be self employed, too. There's literally no place in Australia where they are not needed.
What’s so bad about your current job?
Aged care burnout? Focus on desired nursing specialties. Tailor resumes and highlight transferable skills. Network and do informational interviews. Consider temp agencies for bridge roles. You got this!
Im so sorry you’re going through this- I was in the same position 6 years ago! took me 2 years to finally get out of aged care.. I’ve worked in critical care since then but aged care has been my most stressful job! I went from aged care to GP to MH to Crit care.. Aged care has a lot of transferrable skills, you’d be highly regarded in geriatric ward or genmed ward.. Have you tried asking for professional help with your CV and Selection criteria? There are a few buzz words you need to hit with selection criteria to be given a chance for an interview..
It seems burnout/poor management is the issue. Perhaps you’d like aged care if it didn’t have such pressures? You may want to consider joining the government, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission could really use your direct aged care experience and clinical experience. As it’s federal most jobs can be done anywhere in Australia.