nursing shortage? Where?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

You are reading page 4 of nursing shortage? Where?

danursern

122 Posts

Okay I have a question in regards to nursing shortages. If there is such a shortage (And I believe there is) why are there such long waiting lists for nursing schools? here in Ohio average wait is 24 months, Thankfully I only have to wait for 15 months (If I get in in the fall)

If there is a so call shortage it must vary from state to state. Here we have no shortage of nurses, it's just a scam. I am not pregitous against Asians or and any non americans. What I do not like is this importation market. I see a danger here and what I see is USA nurses getting railroaded. Believe me I have been looking around this my area and across two state lines for a month. I have not seen a shortage. Oh yet every place suffers a certain amount of staffing issues or problems, but how do we define shortage what is the guidlines for defining this word.

Mostly all schools or colleges only have room for about 35-40 students per year. My LPN class started with 41 and we graduated 36. When I went to see about this program I had to take some kind of competency exam last 4 hours, which I passed, but I understood there were 300 test takers for a 41 seat class, so I am sure a lot passed. You then complete an interview, but of course those instructors look at the grades of those competency test to see who will pass, and admit them, because if to many students fail out the Instructors could lose their jobs. This is of course in my area. In other areas the test is not a issue so I heard.

So if 500 people enroll test and pass only 41 can be chosen. Plus it is also about budget for each school. That why only one class per year in my voc tech school.

College is the same only so many students at one semester per class.

It is more like a nursing school program shortage than a Nursing Shortage.

Haunted

522 Posts

Horse Feathers. :rotfl: That is funny. Anyway, I am not agreeing with the so called hipe surrounding the so called shortage okay. I am talking about the critic slamming LPN's and RN's being taught today in my above post.

You, are so right about this bogus shortage at least not down here. Here is my take on it. I worked at a facility in Va in 2002 for about a year until I finally got out. All Asian on nightshift except me, and one lady from Norway, and 3 people recruited from Africa. All imports I was hire to meet the requirement of at least one RN from the US Country. Some of the CNA's spoke mimimal english these were the ones from Columbia , and Spanish countries.

These nurses were being paid wages of a CNA and told basically to lick the floor without saying it. After all a green card is the prize. It was sickening to watch. RN's who have lived over here since birth were denied positions because of the Asian imports. Why put up with us when they work doubles, lower pay, do as there told like good little nurses, and stand attention to the bosses. The shortage to me is scam in order to import for cheaper rates.

When did nursing become a business?

The import of foreign born RN's has been happening for several years. We pompous, aggresive, outspoken YANKS will soon be replaced by midasized versions with micro chips implanted for GSP!! Robots can now perform surgeries, maybe they will phase out even the foreign born imports in favor of RN2D2 !!!!

danursern

122 Posts

In my area the hospitals have gone to using mostly BSN prepared RN's, no aides and LPN's are doing what aides do.

In most LTC RN's are only hired on a meet the need basis, and very little are hired for floor nursing, in Maryland they are using Med techs, and LPN's maybe one or two depending on size of facility. The RN's are management and there is NOT a lot of openings for RN's in management there are only so many spots. There are more certified aides in this setting as well.

I was blown away to find out that in a lot of these assisted living homes all they have is a med tech???? I even saw a Med Tech given supervisory status in one of these places. Most LTC in some areas of Maryland have an RN and med tech, no LPN's. LPN's are getting booted for med techs.

I have been out of work before for many months at a time. However, every other place seemed to being hiring LPN's. I was mad because I saw a ad for a doctors office position for an LPN and I called to see if I might be exceptable and I was told NO! It is all about money and if an LPN is cheaper or a medicine tech then these facilities will get away with as much as they can, anything to cut the budget and get those big bonuses at the end of the year. There is one thing we are busting our butt and the managment people at the top (adm) are the only ones getting the royalities at the end.

This is why I took a pay cut and moved on to Home Health I was tired of the rat race in the nursing homes, skilled facilities and hospitals. I took a 7 dollar pay cut I was making $24.50 base and 1.00 diff, and premium pay on the weekend but I worked 11-7 the only place hiring RN's, because most LTC wants at least one on every shift. Now I make a flat $18hr which is really killing me financially, but the stress is lower and my health has improved and I enjoy working one on one. I work agency home health so I decide if I want to work or not, and so far I have picked up two days looking for more. I will only do adult, but the need is stronger for PEDS. I may have to take PEDS to get more time. I can work doubles on the weekend so that is good and I am not tired doing private duty. I took a pay cut, but I feel like I came out a head really.

saskrn

562 Posts

JoAnne!

who in their right mind would do what we do for $14.00/hr? I am making over $32./hr and am not the highest paid in our city. (I work in Los Angeles). Our hospital does pay higher for BSN, MSN etc.

I know of nurses in KS making $9/hour.

danursern

122 Posts

I know of nurses in KS making $9/hour.

It depends where you work to in the US. LA is a higher paying state it seems.

Wow, 9hr for a LPN or RN is unbelievable and the lowest I've ever seen thus far.

fergus51

6,620 Posts

I live in So Cal and have never met a nurse who wasn't getting enough work. Hospitals in my area will hire anyone with a license and a pulse.

PhoenixGirl

437 Posts

We keep hearing in the media about nursing shortages. In our town of 30,000, we have a hospital of about 500 beds. Our casual staff are complaining they are not getting any work. (RN's and LPN's alike). Some haven't been called for any shifts in a month. They are seriously looking for work elsewhere. I have heard this is the case in surrounding hospitals. I think there are nurses out there, but there are no jobs due to government cutbacks. No jobs is a big difference from no nurses.:rolleyes:

I'm a student who surfs the hospital websites somethings reading the job listings. Last night I was looking at the teaching hospital downtown, and there were TEN pages of listings for different positions. Many had been posted for months and what I was happy about is a lot of them said "NG" which means I'd be able to get a job when I'm done with school.

Most every hospital around here is trying to expand too, and we are going to get a medical center downtown within a few years. Looks like AZ is the place to be if you are a nursing student.

Rebecca

danursern

122 Posts

Actually, I've heard AZ is one of the few better paying states for nurses. I think CA is on the list as well. Of course a state with more people in it is going to be more trouble and nurses are going to be in more demand.

I don't see the shortage everyone is talking about, but do still see the importation market expanding. The only reason I can think of is so these facilities don't have to pay top wages to US nurses and put up with all the crap. I read in one of the magazines online that there was a strike going on some where. It blows me away because I can't believe nurses striking, but hey if this is what it come to then I believe in the cause which, is surely better pay, better benefits, and better work hours.

jenago

14 Posts

Here's a voice from Ontario. I'm in Ottawa, there has been a shortage for as long as I can remember. In 2 years 50% of nurses working now will be of retirement age. If we are having staffing problems now, what will happen then? Before transferring to the ER I worked on an acute medecin floor where we actually closed beds due to staffing shortages. I was part-time but worked full-time hours and had over-time on each cheque to boot. Our ER just had a huge hiring blitz. I am meeting nurses from all over Ontario and Québec. The biggest problem is for acute care nurses. Floor nursing has equalled out. Acute care..has bottomed out. Some nurses working ICU and ER haven't been granted their summer holidays in years. The big cuffufle has come from Québec. They are experiencing a nursing shortage as well, but pay their RN's considerably less ($14.00/hr) so the nurses are coming over here.

If there is no shortage where you are, consider yourself lucky! It's an awful situation to be in, not to mention dangerous.

Cheers! :)

Jo-Anne

Hi Jo-Anne,

I live in Mississauga, Ontario and I am currently looking for an RN job. Which Hospital in Ottawa is it. I would like to apply there.

Thanks,

Jennifer

+ Add a Comment