[NRSKarenRN]

Efforts to reverse the shortage....



FLA: Calling for nurses Daytona Beach News-Journal

To keep up with the demand for nurses, Florida already begs, borrows and steals.

With new training programs, loan forgiveness and scholarships, the state works to entice people into nursing. Florida hospitals spent nearly $150 million in the fiscal year 2003-2004 hiring temporary and traveling nurses. And the state offers mortgage assistance and other perks for nurses willing to relocate permanently to this state.
Even then, it might not be enough. The shortages are already acute. Florida hospitals, as of February 2004, averaged one vacant position for every eight registered-nurses slots, according to a survey by the Florida Center for Nursing.
The nursing workforce's average age tops 47; 18 percent of the state's R.N.s are older than 65. While other states' demand for nurses shrinks, Florida's need continues to grow. Hospital admissions grow between 3 percent and 5 percent a year, and the state's elderly population -- which needs more nursing care than working-age adults -- is expected to increase 66 percent by 2020.

CA: Nurse shortage grows acute; classes lacking Los Angeles Daily News

One study by the Los Angeles Community College District found that nearly 25 percent of nursing-program students dropped out, slightly higher than the statewide average.

Even after they graduate, one-third of all registered nurses quit during their first year in a hospital, according to the California Nurses Association, which represents 75,000 nurses.

"Either they fall through the cracks or end up in a unit that doesn't suit them and they are traumatized," spokeswoman Liz Jacobson said.
Seeking to stem the tide, the CNA created a mentoring program three years ago that pairs novices with senior nurses.
"Initial data found that the nurses that went through the program are seven times more likely to stay," Jacobson said.

[sweetsmiles2007]

Wow! I don't know much about nursing in Flordia, but, having recently gotten out of nsg. school, I can definatly say that a lot of possible nurses were lost because of the courses and the professors. We started out with 60 people, and only 35 graduated. In my last semester, we were required to pass a practice NCLEX test, if we didn't pass we couldn't graduate. Talk about a headache and stress level through the roof. As well as the times I've gone to profs for help, and was advised to "think critically". No suggestions how to think critically, or ways to know that i'm suceeding. It's frusterating, stressful, time consuming and just plain difficult to become a RN. On top of that, I really feel as though I have learned everything I know on the job, not from the classes I have taken. In the end, I paid $80,000 for a piece of paper that says I have a bachalor's degree in nursing science, for some classes in which I promptly forgot most everythign I memorized, stress and no social life to speak of. :/ In end, it was worth it to have that RN behind my name, but i just wonder if all that stress was really necessary.

[teiladay]

I noticed something that wasn't mentioned in ref. to the Fl. nurse shortage. How much is Fl. paying their nurses? When I look at what FL. pays, compared to many other states, take into consideration cost of living, etc.. Fl is relatively low paying for RN, NP and CRNA...

[kellia]

Originally Posted by teiladay

I noticed something that wasn't mentioned in ref. to the Fl. nurse shortage. How much is Fl. paying their nurses? When I look at what FL. pays, compared to many other states, take into consideration cost of living, etc.. Fl is relatively low paying for RN, NP and CRNA...

Very true... not to mention their schools are horrible, so that doesn't help attract younger nurses with kids in school, plus homeowner's insurance is crazy! Dh kept saying he wanted to move there until one of his friends did, he doesn't want to anymore!

[NurseyPoo]

Originally Posted by kellia

Very true... not to mention their schools are horrible, so that doesn't help attract younger nurses with kids in school, plus homeowner's insurance is crazy! Dh kept saying he wanted to move there until one of his friends did, he doesn't want to anymore!

My husband and I were seriously thinking about moving there also until friends of ours did...They have been on an uphill struggle since they arrived. AND, these are people that went with a large amount of money saved to cover them for the first year. It scared the heck out of us! The cost of a decent home is ridiculous when you look at the amount of money a nurse gets paid there. I would love to move to Florida but the salary is not worth it to me. I love being a nurse but I need to live and at my age I am not willing to start all over again. I want a nice home in a nice neighborhood. Unfortunately these nice homes come with a hefty price tag!!! The offers I have received have not even been enough to cover the basics let alone a mortgage payment! I have spoken with 3 hospitals and not one could make me an offer I was even willing to consider. One of the hospitals tried for 2 months to get me to reconsider...She came back with 3 different offers and not one of these offers cut it. She also expressed to me that she understood the problem with Florida and that things were being done. Unfortunately these "Things" are not happening fast enough.

[NurseyPoo]

Originally Posted by sweetsmiles2007

Wow! I don't know much about nursing in Flordia, but, having recently gotten out of nsg. school, I can definatly say that a lot of possible nurses were lost because of the courses and the professors. We started out with 60 people, and only 35 graduated. In my last semester, we were required to pass a practice NCLEX test, if we didn't pass we couldn't graduate. Talk about a headache and stress level through the roof. As well as the times I've gone to profs for help, and was advised to "think critically". No suggestions how to think critically, or ways to know that i'm suceeding. It's frusterating, stressful, time consuming and just plain difficult to become a RN. On top of that, I really feel as though I have learned everything I know on the job, not from the classes I have taken. In the end, I paid $80,000 for a piece of paper that says I have a bachalor's degree in nursing science, for some classes in which I promptly forgot most everythign I memorized, stress and no social life to speak of. :/ In end, it was worth it to have that RN behind my name, but i just wonder if all that stress was really necessary.

This sounds like the program I was in...Critical Thinking...Critical Thinking...Critical Thinking...That was their favorite moto!!! It used to drive me insane when several of us would ask questions or try to get some direction. I worked as a CNA when I was a nursing student so I would make a list of questions and ask the nurses I worked with when I went to work. I learned more from them than I ever did from the professors trying to be mentors/teachers. Although, on another note there was also one fantastic professor that really cared but could only do so much. I see her weekly when she brings the new students to the hospital to do their clinicals. She was truly the reason I stuck it out and pushed myself so hard. It is so frustrating to see what is happening in regards to nurse education. From what I understand there is a 2 year waiting list at my old school.

[crysobrn]

On the subject of school. At the nursing program that I attended they have a 4 yr waiting list. Yet they only take 28 people off the list. Statistically 20% drop out in the first semester. So in my opinion they should take an extra 20%. then they can decrease the number of people on the waiting list and increase the number of nurses.

We took a test to get an inventory of our stressors when I was in school. I was a single working mother at age 19... Accepted into the program and then took this test and had one of my instructors tell me that I had to "get rid of some of my stress" Hmm I thought... which should I get rid of "the baby" or "the job" I didn't get rid of anything and continued to support myself without state assistance and take care of my baby (my mother changed her schedule so she could babysit, she's also a nurse.) and go to nursing school. Guess what. There were only 18 out of 28 of us who graduated and I had a 3.85 gpa... which I'm thinking for nursing school and all those stressors is pretty good.

On the florida thing. I've often thought of moving myself. We live in michigan and make an annual trip down. I'm ready to leave there after a week. It's crowded and from what I've researched the schools are subpar, the pay isn't that great, they're working short and the housing is rediculous unless you want to live in a trailor!!

[gitterbug]

Cousin is a nurse in FL., tried to get me to move there but just can not see it. She has lost 2 homes, 2 cars, pictures, personal items, pets to storms and never seems to get ahead.