Is there a nursing shortage or not?

[nurse.sandi]

I am sure many members are tired of this subject, but I am new here. My question is after reading the threads and reviewing the literature on the nursing shortage and future demands. I do not understand why so many nurses including myself, whether you are a new grad, returning nurse, or senior nurse...why can we not find jobs if there is a shortage?

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

Because right now the economy sucks, no one is exactly sure what's going on with health care, and there's not really a nursing shortage.

There is a shortage of nurses at the bedside, hence the over-worked, stressed-out, crazy nurses you see. But it's b/c facilities are staffing within their budgets, not b/c there are positions waiting to be filled.

[nurse.sandi]

Thank you. That makes sense. This whole thing is just so frustrating.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

In many regions across the U.S., there's absolutely no shortage of nurses. Actually, there's a surplus of too many nurses in some cities and states. Contrary to popular belief, nursing is certainly NOT recession-proof.

During recessions, patients avoid having elective surgeries because they are fearful of taking the time off work that is needed for full recovery, which results in low hospital census on the units that depend on postoperative cases (ortho, med/surg, PACU, SICU, acute rehab, etc.). When hospital census is low, less nurses are needed to keep the floor running.

More people are unemployed during these rough times and, as a result, have lost their health insurance. Uninsured people are definitely not inclined to seek healthcare unless it is an absolute emergency. In addition, medical bills incurred by uninsured patients tend to go unpaid, which means less money for healthcare facilities. The hospitals must absorb the losses.

Part-time nurses, PRN/per diem nurses, and semi-retired nurses accept full-time positions during recessions to keep their households afloat when a breadwinner spouse loses his/her job without notice. Plenty of retired nurses are reactivating their nursing licenses and returning to the nursing workforce due to the high costs of food and fuel, and the effects of depleted retirement funds. Since all of these experienced nurses are returning to the nursing employment market, this means less jobs available for all of the new graduate nurses that are being churned into local job markets every few months.

I must also mention that Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements are lower than ever. This has affected areas of nursing such as acute care, hospice, home health, long term care, rehab, clinics, doctors' offices, and so forth. These low reimbursement rates mean less money available to pay nursing staff.

While this phenomenon might not apply to the town, city, or state in which you live, it is certainly happening in many places across the U.S.

[nurse.sandi]

Thank you. I knew all that. Just needed it clarified.

[SWS RN, ASN, RN]

I have adressed this many times before, but once more with feeling...(and you can always go back and read old posts on this and other topics) I suppose it depends upon the area in which you live....but for the most part in one word, when compared to several years ago.......NO........there is no shortage of nurses.

The Main reasons are as follows:

1 older nurses are not retiring

2 hospitals are cutting staffing and expanding patient/rn ratio

3 many many poor souls have been "fooled" into thinking that nursing is recession proof and are jumping into nursing school and finishing only to find it very difficult to find a job...especially as a new older grad...and for the above mentioned reasons...and

4 more and more nursing schools are opening because the small private ones in it to jump on this artificial nursing shortage bandwagon to make money and are flooding the market with these guys creating more competition for the few jobs available. It's becoming very difficult for the new grad to find a position here in South Fl.

(As far as the school situation goes, 15 years ago, there were 2 nursing schools in the county in which I live...now there are 8...so you can do the math)

oh, and another area that has taken away from nursing positions...are med techs...now the doctors offices almost exclusively hire techs or medical assistant to the jobs that nurses used to do.

All of that being said, I certainly do not try to talk anyone out of going to nursing school IF THAT IS WHAT THEY REALLY WISH TO DO....but I have also heard many people over the years say they were going into nursing to "always have a job and ....ha ha...make lots of money (clearly they weren't already nurses)...well, what can I say?

Good luck.

Just keep your eyes open...and NO there is no nursing shortage..

[AloeBlox]

i guess it depends where and what region you are in. Down here in Socal there is a shortage.....exact words from the director of a hospital in the nursing department... thats why they do paid interns to make sure they get these grads once they are done

[nurse.sandi]

Wish I could find the post where someone in so. cal is looking for work...

[dienne]

Can you tell us where please???!!!!! I've been looking for a job here in SoCal for months now and trust me nobody wants new grads!!!! Only 5 people in my class of 30+ were able to find jobs and only because they already worked in the hospital or knew people. As far as I know there is no nursing shortage, at least for new grads, here. I spoke with HR and recruiters at several hospitals and they told me that for the very few openings they have they get hundreds sometime thousands of applications!!!! Some of them even told me that I should move out of state if I want to start working as a nurse, so I would really like to have the names of the hospitals you're referring to please!!!!

i guess it depends where and what region you are in. Down here in Socal there is a shortage.....exact words from the director of a hospital in the nursing department... thats why they do paid interns to make sure they get these grads once they are done

[xluescluesx]

My friends in southern california can't find jobs, but maybe it's because they have ADNs

[nurse.sandi]

I have ADN and they want me. Do you need BSN in California?

[Catch22Personified]

In optimal staffing settings, yes there is a nursing shortage.

In the world of cost cutting and "maximum" efficiency, no shortage exists.