Gen & psychiatric nurse: How difficult to find jobs in the health/social care sector?

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elainem

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Just another year of psychotherapy training to finish - doing a Masters. Have applied for over 50 positions with nursing dip and dip in psychotherapy.

Have lots of experience in general and psychiatric nursing but no luck with jobs. Have applied for jobs in allied health and social care working with adolescents - and though I have worked with adolescents in nursing.

Employers seem to want social care qualifications even if they have less experience.

Have also applied for educational roles going to schools and colleges in area educating re. mental health issues, particularly suicide.

Have qualifications from England in the area of suicide prevention and in education, but still no luck.

Am just about to pay my last e7000 in fees for my psychotherapy training and wondering if it's worth it, given that I'm applying for all these jobs without any luck and only a handful of interviews.

Had thought it was my age, 43, though I haven't put my date of birth on C.V.'s.

Are things really that bad out there or have I just been unlucky.

Any advice comments really welcome.

Worried!!
 
Elainem, the job situation within the health and social care sector is really bad especially since the recruitment ban started a couple of years ago. Would you consider going to the UK, much better job opportunities here than in ireland.
 
How difficult is it to get a job

Hi! Cashier, thanks for your reply. If I had no children, I would be gone back to the U.K. tomorrow - I trained there about 15 years ago and loved it. However, I'm stuck here for now - my children are young and at school. I'm just unsure whether I should pay another e7000 for the remainder of my training given that I might not be able to get a job in either health or social care -e7000 is a lot of money when the job situation looks so bleak. Thanks again for your reply.
 
Finish your training if you can afford it elainem .... I know €7k is a lot of money but as you are so close it would be a shame to call a halt to it now.

By the way .... you've got a great CV ..... I'm sure you'd be a great asset no matter where you'd be.

Best of luck with it! :)
 
Its a lot of money but hopefully you are able to get tax relief on it? Having gone this far it would sound like madness not to complete the course.
 
Yes things are really bad.
It's nothing to do with you.
I wouldn't bother applying to any HSE institution as all applications are central through manorhamilton and there are already long panels awaiting jobs in most professions.

If you could get in on ANY job in the health sector you could apply for any internal vacancies which are about the only ones that arise.

THe other option for the non HSE employers is to try and get an internship with them...ie just get your foot in the door....not easy, but might work.

Another idea if the final part of your studies involves any research is to dove tail it into the research some psych in one of your choice hospitals is doing...ie do some donkey work for them as part of your course.

Or do the research in their service...get to know them etc.(only worthwhile in non-HSE employers)

Also could you publish any of your essays/coursework in any of the local healthcare newsletters/journals...show up at the usual conferences...meet and greet etc (only non-hse employers....getting the picture ;)

Good luck
 
Mommah said:
show up at the usual conferences...meet and greet etc (only non-hse employers....getting the picture ;)

Good luck
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what an ordeal especially after studying all those years, it is a ludicious situation, it smacks of nothing but cronyism to me as if the country hasn't already got enought of it. What about all those staff going on retirment, maternity, career breaks, sick leave etc are they not been replaced?? God help the poor clients. I am not surprised the young irish nurses are being snapped up by the UK hospitals, they gain and Ireland's loss.
 
Well Cashier, how do you propose one gets a job when none are being advertised?
The HSE recruitment system is extremely difficult.
You have to apply for a job and be paneled and then you are offered umpteen jobs out of your geographical area or area of expertise and eventually thrown off the panel. When all you are interested in is a job in your local hospital.

Now that is a joke.

But showing a bit of initiative and meeting potential employers shows initiative rather than cronyism.
 
Gen and Psychiatric Nursing

Hi! Everyone, thanks for all the replies and comments. Haven't been able to reply due to computer probs and also job interviews! Thanks, Paddy Bloggit re. the comment about my C.V. I always think it's a bit all over the place rather than being good/great. I've decided to pay the fees and try and continue. I think all the worry about jobs and course was just getting to me!

Mommah, thanks for your advice. It's very practical. I am actually on the panels for nursing but didn't get offered anything for ages. I moved so what I applied for originally is way out of my geographical area now. I got offered a .25 post in the HSE last week - this is in my geographical area now. It had done the offer rounds several times. I think no one wanted it because it was on;y .25 post. I took it anyway. It's a foot in the door.


Also, had an interview last Tuesday for residential soical care worker with troubled adolescents and got the job. Just after I'd been doing all my giving out about the stae of things here! Would much prefer this job and it's full-time. However, there are 8 sleepovers per month - so don't know how I'd manage with kids or whether it would even be fair on them, though they both said they didn't mind if there was a babysitter sleeping over with them. Also, much as I'd love the job, am a bit concerned that I might burn-out as they described the adolescents as extremely troubled. Don't know if anyone else here has worked in this field and could give some advice? Thanks again.
 
elainem said:
Hi! Everyone, thanks for all the replies and comments. Haven't been able to reply due to computer probs and also job interviews! Thanks, Paddy Bloggit re. the comment about my C.V. I always think it's a bit all over the place rather than being good/great. I've decided to pay the fees and try and continue. I think all the worry about jobs and course was just getting to me!

Mommah, thanks for your advice. It's very practical. I am actually on the panels for nursing but didn't get offered anything for ages. I moved so what I applied for originally is way out of my geographical area now. I got offered a .25 post in the HSE last week - this is in my geographical area now. It had done the offer rounds several times. I think no one wanted it because it was on;y .25 post. I took it anyway. It's a foot in the door.


Also, had an interview last Tuesday for residential soical care worker with troubled adolescents and got the job. Just after I'd been doing all my giving out about the stae of things here! Would much prefer this job and it's full-time. However, there are 8 sleepovers per month - so don't know how I'd manage with kids or whether it would even be fair on them, though they both said they didn't mind if there was a babysitter sleeping over with them. Also, much as I'd love the job, am a bit concerned that I might burn-out as they described the adolescents as extremely troubled. Don't know if anyone else here has worked in this field and could give some advice? Thanks again.
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I know a girl who use to hire residential care worker - presume it's the same grade. It was very hard to get them and turnover was high but there was more choice then jobs wise. The clients were very troubled and basically too young for prison.

When the proper manager for the unit, the fit was better as he screened them really well, up to that it wasn't the actual manager - there was pressure to staff the place at the time as these young boys were being placed in adult psych units and other inappropriate places.

If you are offered that post, speak to the manager about the post. He actually got a few people to refuse the posts after accepting it by telling them exactly what it entailed.

In relation to the .25 post, if there are further approvals part-time staff in situ who are already cleared are usually asked first.

Glad to hear things improved.
 
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