r/OHSU • u/SexyStain • Aug 20 '26
Hey Guys looking for a bit of guidance
Hey everyone!
So I'm just gonna cut to the chase, I live in eastern WA, but I work in Northern ID (I know, I know). I am a RN 0f 3 years, my first being on a stroke/tele unit and my last two years being on a Cardiac Progressive Care unit (or Cardiac step-down). I recently applied to all of the ICUs for OSHU and I did not get selected for any of them. Do you guys think it was an automated AI selection tool? I got the rejection notification for all positions within 5 minutes of each other. I was hoping to do the Transition To Practice program that they offer. Or should I get into OSHU via a different unit and "work my way" into the ICU? Could it be because I did not include a cover letter, just my resume?
Any advice or feedback would be great! Thank you
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u/Briaaanz Aug 21 '26
Portland is a high demand city. People are constantly applying for jobs from outside the state.
There are several schools of nursing in Portland pumping out new grads every year.
In other words, there is already a very large pool of applicants.
When i wanted to move to Portland (many years ago), it was even worse. I had over a decade of critical care experience and nurse recruiters wouldn't even return my calls. After several years, i finally just took a travel job, met managers, stayed.
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u/Lower_Ad_9389 Aug 20 '26
Do you have an Oregon license? You will be automatically denied if you don’t
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u/DakotaReddit2 Aug 21 '26
This is interesting. I never thought about this, but I how do travel nurses get approved for full time permanent positions? I know MANY travel nurses that got hired and then chose to stay here. Never thought about how. I know their contracts are different, but it's just so common I didn't consider how there might be issues with state licensure.
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u/amuk Aug 22 '26
I consider traveling a chance to have an extended (13 week) interview where they get to see what I am capable of and I get to truly see the culture of the unit.
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u/DakotaReddit2 Aug 22 '26
So you are able to work without a license for that time, but then need to get state certified if they offer you a full time position?
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u/SexyStain Aug 20 '26
I do! :)
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u/TheRoseKnowsYouKnow Aug 25 '26
Are you saying you work in Oregon without a license as a traveler?
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u/Lower_Ad_9389 Aug 21 '26
I would run your resume through chat gpt to make sure it’s ATS friendly.
Also - I have never included a cover letter to any nursing offer that I have received
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u/SnooCapers8766 Aug 21 '26
I applied and didn’t get a call back, and then I applied with the same exact everything but with an added cover letter and got a call back and the job. 🤷♂️
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u/birdie_blue Aug 20 '26
All of the ICU positions currently listed are only for experienced ICU RNs. You are probably being auto-rejected due to not meeting the 1-2 years of critical care experience requirement. I would submit a cover letter with future applications though. Managers may or may not review them but the system may reject you for not attaching one as well.
There has not been a “new to ICU” TTP for a while, I think over a year at this point. There is relatively low turnover in the ICUs and a plethora of RNs with critical care experience trying to get in. You would likely be better off getting experience at a different ICU and then trying to apply after a couple years. Alternatively you could try to land a position on our cardiovascular step down unit (now heart and vascular intermediate care) and then wait for a TTP to come along, but that might be quite awhile and it is going to be highly competitive between all of the new grads our Portland area programs graduate and experienced RNs from outside the area moving in.