Any good news from new grads in NYC?

Hi Chaya-
I currently work for an accelerated BSN program. Last May, a lot of the graduates did have a difficult time finding work in Manhattan. Those looking in the outer boroughs and suburbs had faster luck than those looking for the Manhattan hospitals. The most receptive Manhattan hospital was the St. Luke's Roosevelt system. Not sure if anyone applied to Jersey. About half of the students went back to their hometowns (many from California) and got jobs with few problems. Not sure how much weight is put on where you graduate from as this is one of the top programs in the country. There are still some who have not landed jobs because they want Manhattan only.

Honestly, there is no way to tell where our economy or hospitals will be once you complete your program. I don't think it is a waste going into nursing if this is your calling. Remember to stay active in student nursing associations and make contacts wherever you can. No matter what career you go into, who you know is always important.

Good Luck!
Olivia RN

Can I ask what your stats were getting into that program? I applied to regular BSN programs as a transfer student (I have a degree but no science prereqs), but thinking also about doing pre-reqs on my own and doing accelerated route (but there aren't that many of those programs around).

In terms of lack of jobs, I'm assuming it's the economy. By the time you graduate, things may be back on track, at least for some professions. It's a good time to go back to school.

I don't really know about that but I know that a lot of the student nurses that graduated my school Long Island University in May 08, didn't really have too many problems getting RN and Nurse Extern jobs at the hospitals where their clinical rotations were at. Most of the hospitals that they got into were New York Methodist, Mammonides, Lutheran, Brooklyn Hospital and St. Luke's Roosevelt.

There will always be jobs for nurses, I think the main problem is that now adays everyone wants to work at New York Presbyterian and maybe set their standards a little too high. Most teaching hospitals love to take new grads over the big specialty hospitals.

As others have said, most people land jobs through their clinical experiences, so making contacts is important. It has worked for me in this dire economy.

Also something else is many graduates go looking for jobs in the fields that they are specifically interested in and don't realize that sometimes you can't start where you want, playing back on the thing about having your hopes too high which I mentioned earlier. I think if everyone realized that there's a good chance that you won't be in pediatrics or a related area on your first job, they would change the way they look and apply for jobs. I know I'd love to work in OB/GYN/L&D but I'd be grateful to be hired anywhere and even though I may not enjoy it, I'd still do my job because that's what I am trained to do.

that could be the situation a few months ago, but it is a different scenario now in the entire 5 boroughs......2 hospitals in Queens just closed with hundreds of experienced RN's out of job. I have 3 friends with at least 1 year experience who have applied 3 months ago in more than 15 hospitals in the 5 boros but could only get part time jobs....

im not trying to discourage you but the job market for new grads are going to be grim in the next few years

Yes I agree with the above statement, we are looking into some really difficult times where, retired nurses are coming back to work and people are holding on to their jobs, and hospitals all over are on a hiring freeze....

It's dried up in NYC alright. I graduated from NYU's 15-month program last December and most of us don't have jobs either. A good number can't even get any interviews! I'm trying to work my connections right now and hopefully, something will pan out.