NP Job Search Blues
By last report I was celebrating my new found certification and awaiting my COA. I was hoping to be able to report and share my new career and challenges, but sadly I have not found my career nor have I had any job offers over the past month.
I can remember a year ago while still in school all the job opportunities my professor would share with us for illustration, and I can remember thinking how needed and sought after NPs were.
Now I know that to be true, but due to the economy, employers are slower to hire. I know there are job opportunities out there, I see them in my professional journals and search engines. Currently, I have returned to teaching as an adjunct faculty member for the college of nursing teaching junior nursing students about the fundamentals of nursing in a clinical setting. This has allowed me to use my skills and knowledge to help mold future nurses, a responsibility I take very seriously.
Recently, I attended my local organization for nurse practitioners, and I had opportunity to network and connect with many nurse practitioners who shared a lot of great information and encouragement for me. I can honestly say the most helpful has been my former professors with whom I have stayed in constant contact. They have been sending me e-mail on all types of job opportunities.
One professor put me in contact with her manager in the perioperative department, where I could potentially be performing H&Ps for patients going to surgery. Currently they are not hiring, but I was told that a position will be coming available. My professor told me to try for prn, at least that way I will be in the system and working as an NP (that's a thought) so I will definitely stay in touch.
My second opportunity came from another professor who e-mailed me several job opportunities, and thanks to her, I have 3 interviews! The first one was with a nephrology group managing dialysis patients. I am really very interested in this position although I have never managed a dialysis patient, but I do understand all the challenges that are prevalent in this population of people.
Secondly, I have an interview with an internal medicine physician. The office manager and I have had several conversations with her last saying that she would send me confirmation and directions. She has not so I decided to Google the physician looking for the address, only to find that he was arrested on a domestic assault against his wife...Hmmm. Well, we will see how that one goes.
Thirdly, and interestingly, I have an interview with the medical director of the pulmonary and MICU division at the university, which is largely research based and teaching, and it is where I am adjunct faculty. Anyway, this group offered me a position 2 months ago, and I turned them down because I was positive that I had a job at a former hospital where I was the CNS. This was a big mistake (note to self: never turn down anything if you have not signed the papers!). I will not make that mistake again.
So after receiving the -mail from my former professor and found they were still looking, I decided to call and I have another interview! A second chance. If I am faced with the great dilemma of deciding from the three choices, which one should I choose? Which one would you choose?