Second career advice

[Joeyfishes]

Morning All,

Looking for some advice. I am 55 and considering a new career as an RN. I have done all my general education requirements including Microbiology. I am scheduled to start a 2 year program in upstate NY at S.U.N.Y Delhi in the fall.

My research shows that the RN market is soft especially with a 2 year degree. I am concerned that I will bust my ass for 2 years and not be able to get a reasonably good paying job. I don't have time to waste and would LOVE to get the real deal info from you all

Best

Joe

[Joeyfishes]

Thanks for the excellent assessment of the job situation...where are you located?

[LostButMakinGoodTime]

Joe,

The job market in western PA (Pittsburgh) is good. Pittsburgh is a regional medical center, so demand for RNs remains constant (turnover). I am a second career RN, I've worked in SICU/CVICU since graduation in 2006. I'm moving to an outpatient position now, but will continue to fill in at the CVICU where I currently work. I have a BA and a BS, neither of them in nursing. I'm thinking about completing a BSN, but at age 53 I don't know if it's worthwhile. Good luck with your decision.

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

Lots of new nurses out there. Status quo: A ton can't find a job.

Don't believe the propaganda that there's a nursing shortage.

Good luck!

[Joeyfishes]

Thanks guys....unfortunately I believed the nursing shortage propaganda and have wasted a year of my life on general ed courses.

[kids]

Thanks guys....unfortunately I believed the nursing shortage propaganda and have wasted a year of my life on general ed courses.

Not really, the bulk of those general ed courses will apply to any degree program.

[Dave 48103]

Again, depends on where you are. In our PICU, they have 30 beds, but can only open 20 of them because of staffing. In our gen peds floor, we have 32 beds, but can only open 27 of them. problem is not a lot of people are flooding into Michigan, and not a ton want to stay here after graduation. There are also 3 major hospitals in the city. And they just announced the addition of 120 beds to the hospital. But again, unfortunately, our hospital usually doesn't hire ADNs

[chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Thanks for the excellent assessment of the job situation...where are you located?

I'm in southeastern PA, Phila suburbs. We have about 25 nursing programs (ADN, BSN and more than a couple of diploma programs) in the area from which about 2,000 new grads pass the NCLEX each year and enter the job market. The BLS data show that on average over the past couple of years, about 100 - 200 new nursing jobs are created annually in the region. With a generally bad economic situation, and very few RN's retiring, the job market for new grads is, to say the least, tough. Based on what I've read, I strongly suspect that the situation is similar in any number of metro areas across the country but haven't looked at their data to confirm.

Things will undoubtedly loosen up but the bottom line is that right now, in more places than not, the nursing shortage is like Beowulf - stuff of myth and legend.