Has the economic downturn affected your employment opportunities?

ceridwyn · Apr 20, 2009

The report is about graduating Div 2 nurses...so I suppose depends on skill mix required etc.

My place of employment has sacked the admin staff and going to replace them with one person who has never worked in community nursing before.

Nurses here are working half to one hour longer each day (not getting paid) to put files out for the next day and putting stats online for the DHS. It really stinks, knowing that we do put our clients first, management knows that, so we keep working these horrible hours.

Can't really put the sackings down to the economic climate though, they have enough money to put on middle mangement lately, (edited lots, coz could be traced to what service I am talking about) but have been employed with the most amazing titles.

so to answer you question has the economic climate effected my workplace, yes and then a very big fat no...with all this employment into middle management.

Has it effected my employment opportunities, no if I want a fancy title into middle management C

talaxandra · Apr 20, 2009

My ward is significantly ovestaffed, to the tune of about twelve shifts/week. THis is due to a combination of employing massively more grads this year (twelve vs last year's seven), combined with almost no resignations in the last eight months or so.

It's my understanding that the latter is the case throughout the hospital, and that turnover everywhere's decreased, perhaps as a consequence of the GFC. There are very few jobs being advertised, but just as many nurses on the floor. This is helped by the ratios - they can't take away clinical nurses in Victoria without also closing beds.

It will be very interesting to see what happens next, though - I suspect there's a lot more financial drama ahead.

ANnot4me · Apr 20, 2009

I am in NZ, and there are tons of jobs, but there is a reason for that. I would not even consider working here at the moment. QLD is recruiting and I replied. They are interested, but now I am not so sure. I don't need to spend all that money and energy just to be made redundant in a few months. and be left with nothing.

joannep · Apr 21, 2009

I understand how you feel, I was made redundant about 18 mths ago and while I found a new job, it really shook me.

joannep · Apr 21, 2009

Talaxandra, my daughter is doing her grad year next year 2010, and I'm concerned there will be less grad positions on offer. Have to wait and see.

smilenurse · Apr 21, 2009

The whole world and Australia is crying for Nurses and there are heaps of jobs for Nurses everywere despite the economic downturn.

talaxandra · Apr 21, 2009

Joanne, I suspect that next year will be more competitive for grads, after the massive increase in numbers this year. That said, it usually takes admin a little longer to work out a mistake (and then make a change), so maybe the 2011 grads have more reason to worry!

joannep · Apr 21, 2009

The whole world and Australia is crying for Nurses and there are heaps of jobs for Nurses everywere despite the economic downturn.

Actually that not really happening at the moment.

Check this thread, and while it is pertaining to the US it is important to realize that we are not immune from the effects of the GFC in Australia.

https://allnurses.com/nursing-news/staffs-full-nurses-385905.html

The article I initially posted relates to new graduates in Australia finding it difficult to get jobs, but experienced nurses may also find it difficult as there are less nursing jobs being advertised in Australia, and what is being advertised is more likely to be casual/fixed term rather than permanent.

smilenurse · Apr 22, 2009

Joannep ! Thank you that was a interesting article to read. But anyway were I work in aged care we are having difficultly finding experienced nurses despite advertising on line. We mainly depend on Agengy nurses now as there are no nurses interested answering our AD's depsite it is an permanent job.