Where are all the young nurses? - Page 4

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    Apr 30, '12 by
    no need to fear, the nursing schools are brewing them as we speak there are plenty of young nurses finishing their program, and many others looking for jobs. therefore, if young blood is what you're after trust me it's coming your way faster than you can say "sphygmomanometer"
    nursel56 and Juniper248 like this.
  2. Apr 30, '12 by
    Quote from bestallaround
    When we discussed this at work, we speculated that the young people are getting in, finding out what it's like, and getting out fast.
    Nah, we are toughing it out on all the very difficult, high turnover jobs until we can get settled into a more stable gig and they can chew up some new RNs at our old jobs.

    - An Old New Nurse
    nursel56, GrnTea, and Not_A_Hat_Person like this.
  3. Apr 30, '12 by
    Quote from danarooo
    Speaking as a new RN grad, the young nurses are looking for work and not getting it! Everyone wants 1 year acute care experience now. I have been graduated for over a year and have nothing to show but frustration and student loands I can't pay because no one will hire me! I'm not exactly young (in my 30's, young yes but not like the author probably means), but I am a "new" nurse. They are out there, looking for work just like me!
    I totally agree.
  4. Apr 30, '12 by
    Well I know where I live it is extremely hard to get into nursing programs most schools have a 200 - 300 person waiting list. I didn't even want to try until I decided to go to a technical college. I was originally told april but a spot opened up in Jan and I have been going strong ever since. I have my graduation date scheduled as of Dec 4th and I am going to be walking across that stage as an LPN (keeping my fingers crossed)
    Quote from bestallaround
    I have worked as an LPN for nine years. I have always been the youngest nurse on staff. Now, I am 32 years old and still the youngest among the LPNs, RNs, and NAs on my floor(that's about 45 people). Where are all the young nurses? Who is going to be working with me when all the older nurses retire? When we discussed this at work, we speculated that the young people are getting in, finding out what it's like, and getting out fast.
  5. May 1, '12 by
    I'm 25 and the youngest on my floor by around 15 years. Even the nursing students doing clinical rotations are older. I think it definitely has to do with the job shortage for new grads.
  6. May 1, '12 by
    I'm older, but a newer RN, and the hospitals don't even give a look w/o experience. LTC is not for me, but I'm doing it. Why don't they consider clinicals as experience, when we learn their charting, know where everything is on the floor, as experience?
  7. May 1, '12 by
    I am 50, have worked as a RN for 30 years and am now considered an "experienced nurse." My daughter is a senior in nursing school. The difference in her education and mine is tremendous. I am a diploma grad and she will be a BSN. When I graduated, I immediately was a team leader and had a unit of patients and could handle it. She can barely take a blood pressure. Really, who wants to hire a new grad that "read about that" or practiced on a "sims-man." I have been a preceptor for many, many new grad and students. I usually could tell if they would make it within the first week. I give every new nurse a chance, but if they come in with the "I'm a degree nurse and know-it-all attitude"; it makes it very difficult to teach them how to be a nurse.
    As a new grad you will have the "crap" shifts and difficult patients/families. Sorry, but that is the way it is. Deal with it, consider it a right of passage. Don't come in on your interview or first orientation day and tell me you have to be out for Zumba class or to get your extensions put in. Nor tell me that your children or grandchildren don't have a sitter on Sundays. Nursing is 24/7. You are going to miss many meals, birthdays, holidays, weddings, and funerals. If you can't accept that right away, nursing is not for you. And for you "non-traditional students" just because you raised 3 kids, took care of your sick mother, etc, etc, doesn't mean you have a clue what to do as a new nurse. Please don't brag about being older and getting thru school. I know I am categorizing, but so many non-tradional new grads have tested my patience to the limit when i have had to precept them. I know of RN's who refuse to accept an older new grad as their preceptor (or an LPN to RN), due to the fact that that are so unwilling to be told what to do.
    Turn your phone off. During an interview with me; if your phone rings, sings, or what ever...you do not get the job.
    Nursing is not like Scrubs or General Hospital or hanging out with Dr Mc Dreamy. It's hard, dirty, and frustrating work. You will get very little recognition or appreciation for what you truly do.
    If this post sounds like a bitter, old nurse..who eats their young; then I'm sorry, it's reality.
    If this post sounds like a nurse... who knows what she is talking about and knows what she is doing..I bet she could teach me alot; then hop on board. You're going to be just fine.
    nursel56, GrnTea, Altra, and 2 others like this.
  8. May 1, '12 by
    ok, rbekt2010. i agree with alot of that. we have had 20-something new grads, especially on our med/surg unit who do work their one year and leave. one was currently in school full time to obtain a degree in another field though she had just graduated. another left to bartend at a club, saying she made just as much money there, but didn't work nearly as hard. they seem to get overwhelmed and frustrated easily. they call out frequently (i work government so calling out acceptable). they are reluctant to work as a team. our staff of 50- and 60-somethings work harder than anybody and they hardly ever call out. most of them have accumulated several hundreds of hours of sick time because they don't use it regularly. my concern is that maybe nursing schools are not giving young new grads the heads up that nursing is hard, stressful, and not for wimps. i laugh at medical tv shows because they make nursing look glamourous.
  9. May 1, '12 by
    I'm the second oldest nurse on my floor's night shift, and I'm only 31, the oldest is 33!
  10. May 1, '12 by
    It would be interesting to know how many nurses are leaving the field because they are not satisfied with it. I myself am looking to get out of nursing as my main job and keep it as a part-time gig. It is definitely not something I want to do for the rest of my life all day every day.
    anotherone likes this.