New grad nurses are being allowed to rot: A reflection

applesxoranges, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2013

There are a variety of reasons and they also play a part. Another issue I feel is that people do not want to move to a new state or settle for their job options. A lot of students feel entitled for the ER, OB, or ICU. I'll be happy for whatever I get. Another factor is that there are too many nursing schools. We have hundreds of nurses in my are graduating in the spring and fall. Too many to give them all jobs.

calivianya, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2013

Yep, nursing is absolutely just like anything else now. I was really disillusioned when I graduated, too, and had trouble finding a job. I found one in the specialty I wanted, but it just took time and being willing to relocate. The jobs are out there if you're willing to look hard enough and live in undesirable or rural areas.

applesxoranges, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2013

Also, I think the shortage is about 10 years off now. I think we're overstaffed but people will retire. Since many people cannot get jobs, they will go to different fields.

Gentleman_nurse, MSN · Nov 19, 2013

Thank you for your comments. I understand the current economic climate but I'm concerned about the long term impact on the nursing profession. I really fear the consequences. Without a steady entering supply there can be no growth in the nursing profession. It will come back to bite us.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Nov 19, 2013

I hear your frustration loud and clear. This whole situation makes me so sad - seeing what is happening to all of our new grads who have been unable to launch their nursing careers.

Unfortunately, the 'walls' may be getting higher. There is a recently published (very well designed) study which clearly reveals the importance of limiting new grads in a critical care environment. It supported the findings from other studies which show that a higher percentage of BSN staff will have a positive impact on quality and outcomes. But - also provided evidence that having > 20% of staff with less than 2 years of experience has a significant negative impact on patient outcomes. The latter finding is a huge "AHA" that is rapidly disseminating throughout the country. Here is a link to the abstract The Effect of Critical Care Nursing and Organizational Chara... : Journal of Nursing Administration

Birry · Nov 22, 2013

I got my BSN in May and have worked the last 12 years in acute care on the unit as a clerk and monitor tech. I may as well have gotten a degree and license in underwater basket weaving for all the good it's doing me in the job hunt. "Knowing people" and having your foot in the door doesn't count for anything in today's top-down, corporatized Lean Six Sigma worshiping hospital environment. The personality tests added in make it like Gattaca, where if the computer determines you are not fit, you are garbage and there is nothing anyone can do about it, regardless of your actual history or potential.

I also think the Versant and UHC new grad programs are killing us. They are a great idea and very effective, but so resource-intensive hospitals are cutting down on their intake of new grads. And if a hospital offers one of these highly structured programs, there is no hiring of new grads outside of the program. So these coveted few spots have become extremely competitive and hospitals are content to pick the perfect candidates from their spreadsheets and are guaranteed a permanent base of desperate workers who will be simply grateful they effectively won the job lottery. Unscrupulous nursing schools promoting the "nursing shortage" are also benefitting greatly from all this.

It all comes together to make a perfect (****)storm for new grads.

calivianya, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2013

I also think the Versant and UHC new grad programs are killing us. They are a great idea and very effective, but so resource-intensive hospitals are cutting down on their intake of new grads. And if a hospital offers one of these highly structured programs, there is no hiring of new grads outside of the program.

And of course the hospitals use the programs to trap new graduates and force them to stay. I had to sign a two-year (hours based) $12,000 contract for being hired onto my new grad program. I don't hate nursing, but I hate a lot of things about the hospital I'm working at and I would like to get out. However, I don't have $12,000, so I'm stuck. It's a great way to reduce turnover, I guess. It's also a great way to keep morale in the toilet. When you've got a whole bunch of unhappy staff that can't leave, and you call them off so they can't earn back enough hours to get out of their contract and they can't earn enough overtime to pay the contract off outright, no one's winning. Except the people writing the budgets, I guess.

PMFB-RN, RN · Nov 23, 2013

I graduated in May and the opportunities for new nurses are between slim and none. Nursing is a second career for me. I'm fortunate I found employment in my previous occupation but many of my peers are not so lucky. What happens to them?
I've seen the finger-pointing Magnet accreditation, Obama-care, the recession. It takes a significant personal investment to earn a nursing license. Isn't that worth something? Can't the healthcare system utilize these graduates in another capacity? This talent going to waste!

*** Magnet, Obamacare, and the recession have absolutely nothing at all to do with grads not being able to find work.

The glut of nurses was deliberately created by those who stand to gain financially from a glut. Namely employers of nurses. Until a few years ago hospitals had to treat their nurses reasonably decently or risk having them vote with their feet. While there was absolutely no shortage of nurses, there were tons of open Nursing Jobs and any mistreated nurse could walk away and find another job the next day. Treating nurses decently and fairly is expensive and cuts into profits so something had to be done. The something is the deliberately created glut of nurses. The false "nursing shortage" propaganda, and money lobbied from congress to greatly expand nursing programs were the tools used to create the glut.

You grads who are hungry for nursing work are pawns, tools created and used to allow hospitals to spend less on nursing services. They are using you against us.

You are right to be concerned about the future of nursing, but you are worried about the wrong thing. The real worry is that there will be so many grads desperate for work that wages, working conditions and benefits will be so degraded that being a nurse will not be much of a career.

Gentleman_nurse, MSN · Nov 24, 2013

I'm not convinced of your hypothesis but I agree with your conclusion.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2013

I feel for all the new grads and underemployed nurses. However, this economy has been slumping since late 2007 with no signs of improvement. While there are mixed messages out there, it's up to the new grad to realize that unless they are willing to relocate, the job seach will be exhausting. Few positions and too many nurses.

Eventually, there will be a shortage, but who knows when? Not anytime soon, and facilities are deliberately working understaffed to cut expenses. Too many people are thinking, "I know it's tough out there, but I'll be different."

This is purely a numbers game now. You may be one of the best and brightest and still face unemployment. That's the reality of the job market. I relocated for my first position, and I would encourage others to do the same if you want to work immediately.

Gentleman_nurse, MSN · Nov 25, 2013

Relocating may help a few but not for the long term health of the nursing profession. I fear it will implode before then.