Problem with employment for new BSN graduate

[immanuel11421]

Hi

I am about to start an accelerated 15months BSN program in SUNY downstate this June. I am a working professional who is about to give up my stable paying job and take out a big loan to go back to school to be a nurse.

I am the bread winner of my family.

Lately, I have been reading a lot of threads about NYC hospital having hiring freeze or they simply refused to hire anyone who doesn't have at least one year of med/surg experience.

I am really getting concerned. Is the job market really that bad for new graduate? When thye said they want u to have at least one year of experience, does volunteer experience count or it has to be actually work experience for one year?

I really cannot afford to be unemployed for more than 2 months after I graduate or my whole family will be kicked out.

I have been working and going to classes fulltime to do all my pre-requisite to get myself into the accelerated program. Should I change my goal to be a PA instead? Or the job market is just as bad?

Are nurses no longer in shortage?

Any honest input would really be appreciated.

[Wsmith16, ADN, BSN]

It seem to me in my current job search that having a BSN with experience makes you more marketable than an ASN/ADN with experience. However, for new grads it seems it doesn't matter right now which degree you have because I haven't run across any hospital hiring new grads.

I've seen a few ads for PA's, but mostly what I'm seeing advertised is positions for NP's.

NurseFairy,

I have to agree with you I am an ADN grad & I have been on 3 interviews while some of my friends who graduated with BSN are either not working or can't secure a job in the hospitals. This is affecting ALL of us. My previous-degree meant zilch to the recruiter --I thought I'd have a leg up because I had a bachelors in other field. I was WRONG.

The 1st interview I went on was back in JAn this hosp did not pay as well as others so many people overlooked it so they hired me--then took it away due to budegt cuts then hired me again.

The other two other interviews were strictly due to networking/contacts/friends who woked at the particular hospital they put in a good word for me.

It seems the only way a new grad will get a job is by who he/she knows or if they previously worked there and lots of luck.

To the OP, nursing is probably a better bet then your current job anyway because once you have experience the opp'ty will open up. But as with a any field you have to really network to get a job.

[Maryjanefine]

Immanuel, Im sitting here reading your posts and each time I read one, it reminds me of myself. I, too have been accepted to a fasttrack nursing program in jersey @ njcu for 12 months. It starts in sept. I currently hold a degree in Busi. Finance but I am bored out my life..lol.. I make very good money but I cant take it anymore. My first passion was to become a doctor when I was little, part being because my moms was sick and had passed and I wanted to be some sort of healer. Anyhoo, because I had my children young and being a single mom, I couldnt do the 4 yrs of coll. 4yrs of med. and then 4 yrs of residency. There would have been no way I would provide for my children financially and emotionally. Plus I had interviewed doctors who had discouraged me because they say that you go for so many years, sacrifice your family, time, and thousands of dollars of debt, and you come out drowning in debt and get paid little compared to the effort that is put in. (now mind you, that's not all doctors, esp those that specialize or do good holding their own private office). So I was in college, I decided on finance because I was really good with numbers and I am a business type person. I never thought of nursing because at that time I didn't know of the opportunities in nursing. So to make a long story short (I always try to keep it short but it doesn't happen..lol) I am going to leave my job, and go for nursing. Yes the job market is horrible and I will have some difficulties in finding a job. But I am a very persistant girl, and very determined. If I have to literally go in person to every hospital and talk with people or whatever, I will do so. And I will find a job, sooner or later. Now I have prepared myself for this, I have saved up to cover me during school and to cover me during my time while Im looking for a job. So I dont know what decision you have made but I do want to encourage you to follow your dream and dont give up. If nursing is what you want to do and right now you are not financially able to give up the job and go to school and take the chance of having to look for months to get a job, then do it part time and save up in the mean time. I have done so much to cut back and have my budget in place. In fact my budget is on a diet..lol.. but it took time and now Im able to do what I need to do. Set your goals, list the things you need to do in order to get it down as well as preparing for the worst, and get it done. I wish you the best. let me know what you decided. Im very interested.

[DoGoodThenGo]

As other posters have stated, regarding the much media hyped "nursing shortage", it is not totally true. What there is or was is a shortage at times of nurses willing to work at bedside. OTHO there is a large number of licensed RNs out there who for various reasons either left the profession or at least aren't working in hospitals. What is important to remember that at anytime those experienced and licensed RNs can choose to return to clinical setting work, which is what is happening now.

One becomes a nurse for many reasons, but choosing the profession because it is "recession proof" and so forth is probably not one of the best reasons.

If you really want to be a nurse, then by all means go for it. Things are always very fluid on the hiring front, and by the time you graduate and pass the boards, the local employment scene may have changed yet again. Will also add that one knows many nurses who work in Manhattan but commute from New Jersey, Long Island, Westchester and even further upstate NY ( well at least anywhere that Metro-North serves, or can be driven ), to work, and vice versa.

Consider also the NYS and NYC hospital scene is changing through mergers and closings. The closure of two hospitals in Queens recently has put hundreds of RNs into looking for new positions, and as far as NYC goes St. Vincent's in the Village seems to be on track to move to a new building (yet constructed), on Seventh Avenue. Although the later won't probably happen for years, it may change the complexion of the nursing service.