Why are there no nursing jobs available for new grads? What is going on??

Nurses Job Hunt

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I just graduated from an ASN program in May and I am about to take the NCLEX next week. I do currently have a temporary new grad license...

But I just want to know why are there no jobs available? I live in Rhode Island and the employment here is horrible. Almost every single hospital that does have positions available wants at least 1-2 years of med-surg experience. How are we ever supposed to get experience if we can't get a job?? Even the few and far between positions for nurses at clinics and doctor's offices want 3-5 years experience, plus specialty experience. It is downright depressing.

One of the reasons I chose the health care field was because "there would always be jobs available." That is such a lie. Whenever I tell people that I just graduated and will be an RN they always say, at least you will never be without a job! That is so false.

When I spoke with the nurses at the hospitals where I did my clinical rotations, they said they felt so bad for us and how back in the 80's hospitals were begging them to take positions and even offering sign on bonuses.

I just feel like it will be so long before I ever find a job that I won't remember half of the stuff I learned :no:

You don't need to get a license in any other state unless / until you are offered a job. Nobody expects you to have a license in every state. Just apply. If the application won't let you proceed unless you say you have a license then just say you do. Trust me nobody expects you to get a license until you have a job offer.

North Dakota.

Thanks PMFB for the tips. :)

Just got hired in Williamsport PA. They actually gave me 4 jobs to choose from. If you're interested, check out Guthrie, Geisinger, Susquehanna, or Pinnacle. Those were the hospitals that offered me interviews when I was living in Wisconsin. Good luck![/quote']

Thanks :)

Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Wow. Best of luck in your Job Search. You're going to need it. Even more luck to your future co-workers. They have no idea what awaits them....

Honestly finding a job in any field right now is very difficult. I have heard of veterinarians and veterinary technicians in my area not able to find jobs. We have NEVER had a problem getting jobs ever!!! We are now slowly starting to hire. I researched many other allied health careers and all of them tell the same exact story. My sister in law has a BA in english and could not find a job for 2 years. It will get better but for now I am thankful I get to do nursing of some sort:)

To be honest, this is what every field seems like. I know people who went to large private schools and well-known public schools that are ranked in the top of the nation who struggled to find a job. Many of them wound up working as a manager in fast food, retail, or coffee shops. Think about that.

I really do think we should rearrange how we educate students starting with high school. I've heard Germany is doing better in terms of unemployment because they require their students to specialize at an earlier age.

That's a good idea of having students start seriously thinking about their possible career path early in high school. If I had seriously researched the path of what I needed to do to go to nursing school and done it instead of taking the long windy path I took, I could have graduated and possibly had a job right much easier than now.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Frustration and anger are a perfectly normal response to the new grad job situation...I just feel that attacking those who offer suggestions by telling them to just stop is directing fire at those of us who want to help. I'll brainstorm anything that pops into my head if that turns out to be the spark in someone's mind that leads to a solution. Contrary to what we hear from some many of us are distressed by the situation. We aren't out to crush your dreams. If you're angry - direct your fire at those organizations and individuals who knowingly promote false information about the existence of a nursing shortage. A few weeks ago my state was literally blanketed by a coordinated media blitz lying about the supposed shortage. It's almost impossible to refute this kind of well-funded and well-connected campaign of misinformation other than each one of us as individuals making our voices heard.[/quote']

THIS...

If you are looking for an organization that irresponsibly puts out false "nursing shortage" propaganda you can look to the IOM (Institute Of Medicine).

...and THIS.

I truly think this is the era of nursing being a "second job" type of market for a good percentage. I know a few nurses who kept their previous job, benefits, retirement, and worked weekends to get their experience and/or work per diem until they can fully get into their desired specialty.

Keep the faith folks, cast the net wide if you can, take per diem if you can...once you get two first job, some experience, you become more desirable. Most facilities know what the market is like; the average is still 6months-18 months to land a job.

It took me 8 months, and I had 7 years LPN experience; I was a perfect candidate; but the "hands tied" approach I was given because I had no RN experience; it was definitely no picnic.

I kept deferring my loans; don't forget those options as well; they know how it is out there as well.

It will evolve for everyone out there in this tough job market. :yes:

Specializes in medsurg, progressive care.
To be honest, this is what every field seems like. I know people who went to large private schools and well-known public schools that are ranked in the top of the nation who struggled to find a job. Many of them wound up working as a manager in fast food, retail, or coffee shops. Think about that.

I really do think we should rearrange how we educate students starting with high school. I've heard Germany is doing better in terms of unemployment because they require their students to specialize at an earlier age.

This! I graduated 8 months ago with my BSN and am unable to find work, so I'm working as an assistant manager at a fast food restaurant. There are 4 of us on the management team; 2 of us are in the same position, graduated last year and can't find jobs, and the other 2 never bothered to go to college for the fact that they didn't want to spend tens of thousands of dollars on an education that no longer meant definitely getting a job.

The job application process is demeaning and frustrating and horrible, and the job market is a joke. Thank God I had my old high school job to fall back on, because I have so many friends who I graduated with who have no job experience AT ALL, not even some part time gig at Dunkin Donuts, and they are really struggling now.

I couldn't agree with you more. However, I am one of the unlucky bunch who is not picky. I graduated in May 2013 and I haven't even been called for an interview. I have applied hundreds if not thousands of jobs for the last 6 months. I look for work everyday online and in person. I am ready to work day, evening, night, weekends, holidays and still no one has given me a chance. Still staying positive that I will get something this month.

I am in the same boat. And yahoo news still keep lying tpo people of how nursing has jobs

I couldn't agree with you more. However, I am one of the unlucky bunch who is not picky. I graduated in May 2013 and I haven't even been called for an interview. I have applied hundreds if not thousands of jobs for the last 6 months. I look for work everyday online and in person. I am ready to work day, evening, night, weekends, holidays and still no one has given me a chance. Still staying positive that I will get something this month.

Are you ADN or BSN and in what state (if I may ask)?

Specializes in medsurg, progressive care.
I couldn't agree with you more. However, I am one of the unlucky bunch who is not picky. I graduated in May 2013 and I haven't even been called for an interview. I have applied hundreds if not thousands of jobs for the last 6 months. I look for work everyday online and in person. I am ready to work day, evening, night, weekends, holidays and still no one has given me a chance. Still staying positive that I will get something this month.

You are living my life! I would take ANY nursing job right now - any shift, any unit, any hospital, any nursing home, any STATE. I really wanted to stay close to my family but I would move across the country if it meant getting a nursing job. The only interview I had was for a public health nurse; I only got the interview because my dad works for city hall, and I was so underqualified that the interview was kind of a joke. They were nice about it but it was pretty obvious that I had no business interview for the position. 8 months since graduation, over 200 job applications, and begging people I haven't spoken to in 10 years to pull in favors for me. Horrible, horrible job market.

The cold, hard fact of the matter is that nursing schools are now turning out new grads at about twice the rate of the demand. Far too many schools jumped onto the "nursing shortage" bandwagon several years ago and we are now in a situation where there are simply too many new grads out there. There are now about 150,000 new nurses trained every year in the U.S., and only about 72,000 openings created through retirement, career changes or expansion. It's getting to be a lot like the situation with Law Schools turning out thousands of new lawyers when only the top 5% or so actually find jobs in law firms after graduation and passing the bar. We need fewer new nursing grads, not more. At least until there is an actual shortage again.

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