the cat's out of the bag now

I GOT A JOB!!!

I thought the day would never come. After applying to literally 40 different new graduate positions I finally was hired by PPH in Escondido, CA.

I work the DAY SHIFT (still don't know how I landed that!), and I am full time on the Medical/Surgical Oncology Floor!


here's the story for journal purposes . . .

***About four months ago I was having breakfast at OHOP with a friend. As we were about to leave, I hear a voice say, "Rachel?" I turn around, and it's my previous preceptor from PPH who helped me during my days as a nurse intern. She helped me gain confidence as a nursing student with my skills. There was some small talk and she asked me if I had found a job. I told her about my difficulty in finding a position because most hospitals stated that I had not enough experience (even though I was applying as a new graduate). She told me to not worry, but to focus on studying for the NCLEX. She asked for my number and I nonchalantly handed her a napkin with my name and number written down, thinking that she wasn't going to call....(i don't think it was by chance that I ran into my preceptor on a weekday at a local restaurant at 8 AM. I definitely see the importance of me being at that restaurant at that specific time. I'll never forget how helpful she was in my quest for a j ob)

About a month and a half ago, I received a call from my preceptor saying that her nurse manager had sent out an email to the staff notifying them of 4 open new graduate positions on their med/surg oncology floor . . . the same floor that i had been a nurse intern. My preceptor told me to go on the website and apply, and that she would talk to the nurse manager. Sure enough my preceptor, as well as some of the other day shift nurses that I worked with, talked to the nurse manager and spoke about my time as a nurse intern on their floor. My preceptor and the nurse manager told me to apply to all four positions online. There were 3 night positions and one day position. Once the positions were available to the general public, I went online to apply only to find that there was 1 night shift position available. I was so bummed. Night shift? Oh well, I guess every new graduate has to put in their dues with a night shift position. So I applied to the only night position available. After I applied to the night shift position, I called the nurse manager to ask her why the other positions were not available online. There was some technical error. I asked her how I would be able to apply to all of the rest of the positions and she said, "Oh don't worry about it! I already put you down for the day shift position because your mentor is going to be your old preceptor and she works days! So just come in to the hospital tomorrow and we'll have a quick interview and I'll tell you all about the program!" Shocked I told my dad that I thought I got a job, but the manager didn't say the actual words "You have the job" so I didn't believe it.

The next day I went in for the "interview" and the nurse manager said that she received so many good referrals from the day shift nurses on the floor and they said that the nurse manager had to hire me onto the team. She mentioned the dates that she would like me to start working, and sent me on my way with her business card in case I had any other questions. She was such a pleasant lady and I'm looking forward to working with her more.

After hearing from HR today after receiving a generous offer, I can actually officially say that I have a full time job as a registered nurse at a hospital. It's going to be a new change and experience for me, but I'm excited to start my career. I've worked so hard in school for this, and I'm ready to get started. I'm working at the older facility currently, but in 6 months our floor is moving to the brand new hospital (PMC WEST) in Oceanside. It's going to be incredible and is already labeled as the "hospital of the century". So neat.

if there's one thing that i've learned from this experience is the importance of patience and perseverance, and TIMING. this is the most perfect timing.