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

[vab229]

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

[kalevra, BSN, RN]

Relax, Breathe, ok now lets talk like adults.

The gist is that the problem is multi-fold. Not just one clean cut answer to your question. I believe everyone has covered this topic thoroughly over the past few years. So I am not gonna beat a dead horse and harp on you about it.

Lets talk solutions.

1. Hiring is all about who you know, if you are labeled as one of the favorites by HR for your cheery attitude/cherry pie/ knowledge etc. You are going to land a gig relatively fast.

2. Solution here is to suck up as much as possible to the powers that be before graduation. If you do not like the term "suck up", feel free to use the more acceptable phrase of "network". As long as it works is all that matters.

Seriously the Ex-Wife of the hospital CEO will write her own ticket into whatever department she wants. So long as she signs paperwork stating she will not ask for an increase from his monthly support checks. This is example, is real, my friend just pulled this card. She now works in NICU.

In any case, make good with important people. The world runs on favors. As my father used to say "One hand washes the other".

P.S She is an ADN. Hospitlas around here still hire ADN, you just have to know the right people.

Good luck to you.

[elprup, BSN, RN]

Sigh. After reading the four pages of posts I changed my mind.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

Offer early retirement? My hospital does not provide "retirement." We have many older nurses who can run circles around some of our younger ones. We also have plenty of hospitals around here that hire ADN prepared registered nurses. You should have researched the job prospects before you started nursing school, especially in this uncertain economy. I make less money now than I did several years ago, and my insurance premiums are doubling. Older nurses are probably afraid to quit their job, because ageism is alive and well, meaning they might not get another one.

[Kimbsntobe]

Wow the OP has a lot to learn all of the ideas and comments are great...If hospitals are not hiring try something else...There are jobs out there it seems you didn't get the ideal job maybe?...close to home:yes:...near your favorite hangout :roflmao:and you let loose... My advice is grow up and look for a job like an adult then maybe you will find a job...You will be an experience nurse as soon as you look for a job where actual ppl are hiring...grow up and respect the nurses who you will need to hold your hand....

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

That is a good point you made about the older RNs who can't retire. But wouldn't it be smarter for the hospitals to lay off or offer early retirement to the older RNs and hire new RNs who I am sure will get paid a lot less than what RNs who have been working for 30+ years make, plus all their sick/vacation time they have accrued? Whoever is running the hospitals doesn't seem to be too intelligent. The hospital my mom used to work at is in shambles and half of the units are closed down. It is such a mess

The problem.....most hospitals don't have pensions.....many have 401K's that are self contributory only and if the contribute it's like 30 cents on the dollar.......so there is nothing to offer. Sick time if you don't take it...... they keep it. Vacation time if you don't use it you lose it. besides it's only about 4 weeks a year with seniority....unless you work at a Union facility. Hospitals have laid off the expensive and experienced nurses (who can't find jobs either by the way) that is why they don't, or can't, have the resources to orient too many new grads.

The hospitals are very smart the made this imaginary"nurses shortage" so they sould drop the nurses salaries and benefits. They are saving millions. While floors and hospitals are closing the administrators are making millions for cutting the bottom line....nurses.

Many facilities are pushing for BSN only....to be sure that nurses owe too much in student loans so they will work under any conditions.......which is another form of indentured servitude (but that is another thread).

The entire country is a mess.

Congrats on graduating!!!! Good Luck on boards!!!

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Ok you guys don't have to jump on me. But I know for a fact that a local hospital has nurses that are so old working there that they can barely walk up and down the hallways.

What is it going to get to the point that you have a nurse coming into a patients room in a damn wheelchair with a magnifying glass to read the labels on the meds they are about to dispense?

It is also terrible to promote nursing as career path that will have a steady need for employees and a promising job outlook. Don't you think it sucks that there are lets say 700 new grads and none of them can get a job anywhere? So what does that mean? That I am going to be stuck living at home with my mom supporting me (my mom who is an older nurse) and so then she won't ever be able to retire because I will be the monkey on her back for the next 5 years while I sit around waiting for a job? It seems like a viscous and kind of downright stupid circle.

So basically this generation is screwed because nobody can/will retire. Then everyone wonders why there are so many people on the take.

If I had to do it over again I wouldn't have even bothered. The whole scenario seems absolutely asinine.

So ....you would want your mothers facility lay your mother off because she is old and needs a magnifying glass to read labels?

There are many Mom's in the same position that your Mom is in.....maybe the solution is to stop turning out 700 new grads every 6 months.

The supply has far exceeded the demand....now that is the greed of the schools that they continue to perpetuate the myth.....that there is a nursing shortage.

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

Honestly everyone hopes the economy is going to get better...and not to be a downer but I don't think it will. I graduated HS in 2006 became an STNA a short time later and this job thing has been ****** ever since I've been a working adult. I don't see a turn around anytime soon or any big shortage of nurses so I suggest you apply everywhere and be willing to move anywhere because that's about what it takes now. It sucks but this our generations reality, we are paying for the mistakes made before us (I don't mean for this to offend anyone by the way) and we will be the rest of our lives.

Unfortunately, I believe you are correct about the economy. I believe that we have surpassed our critical mass of people to support an economy and we are returning to a kinder and gentler third world. What are the children who are born today going to do for a living in a world in which elective surgery can be referred to another country? Actually, we can out-source almost anything except death. The OP was naïve to the hype - who wouldn't be when you're worried about having any job at all? Having said that, her simple-minded solution to the problem would be comical if it weren't shared by so many others.

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

OP...why didn't you do your research prior to pursuing nursing? I'm sorry, but I don't think you can lay the blame on employers. Before making an investment, one should always investigate before pouring thousands of dollars for a degree that will only put them in debt they cannot pay off.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Interesting. Obviously the OP may be somewhat young and a tad immature and believed the hype. Now hopefully she will mature and work hard and grow into the kind of person that will be someone that employers want to hire. Some hard knocks for sure, but definitely time to grow up.

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

I also want to add that the people I know who had no trouble finding jobs are the ones who work as aides, most having a BSN.

[paradiseboundRN]

But I just want to know why are there no jobs available:no:?

I think what you are really asking is why are there no HOSPITAL jobs available?

When I started nursing school in 1997, they best information they gave us was "when you graduate, there will not be jobs in the hospital, the jobs will be in the community" and for the most part this has been true.

The problem is the nursing profession still wants all the new grads to work and learn for the first 2 years in the hospital. Great idea, but how is that supposed to happen with no jobs? Even if the older nurses retire, the new model of care is away from the hospital. We need to be thinking how these new nurses can get experience outside the hospital.

For example. home care agencies have many job openings and the patient acuity is growing rapidly. The nurses in home care do everything a med-surg hospital nurse does except give blood. We need to provide new grads preceptors and educational experiences outside the hospital so they can get their experience and a job.

The jobs are out there, but you're not looking in the right places!

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

Ok...... I haven't read past the first page. Mandatory retirment age is rhe law in some countries , maybe one day it will be the case here.... who knows . I had a difficult time finding a job as aa new grad in 2009 as did the graduating class the year before me. I am suprised this is news to you.... It took more than a year for me to get a job and i had to relocate!!!! some of my classmates joimed the military ( because they couldn't find jobs!) many relocated. We alm had BSNs , many were aides. It did not matter. the market was and is saturated and hospitals were closing, merging etc..... No one wanted new grads. not hoapitals, ltc, dialysis , nothing.....I had only a few interviews.... once I started apying away from major metro areas I heard back quickly! I never thought I would have to move so far and here for a nursing job but oh well..... You mentioned being in RI.... Try maine and rural/upstate ny. Any where relatively near boston or any east coast city and all of CA will be filled with mew grads and experienced nurses