Nursing market cools, new grads have a tough time finding jobs

As we are finding out, nursing, like other professions, is not recession proof. At the hospital I work at, available positions are not being filled due to budget shortfalls, and layoffs will be announced next week. The hospitals, although non profit, are being hit hard by the tanking economy like any other business. Also in my area we have about 20 nursing programs in a 15 mile radius of the city, and maybe 15 hospitals within that same radius. Needless to say we have a glut of nurses. And with the many accelerated nursing programs springing up in my area the glut is likely to get worse. Nursing is still seen as the hot ticket, secure, recession proof profession. But as the word gets out that there are no jobs to be had, and a heavy debt load to carry after graduating, I can foresee nursing school enrollment taking a major hit.

There was the same situation back in '93 when I graduated. The class before ours had job offers galore, and that came to a screeching halt in our last semester of the program.

I was able to get a job in LTC. We had been told that getting a year experience in Med/Surg was a must, but there's more than one way to skin a cat. I've had work in various branches of nursing and have learned to love variety. As the job market loosened up I took those opportunities as they came and continued to progress as a nurse.

I know it is hard but for those who are singe, is it possible to work per diem or part time while going back for a dditonal certificate or masters degree?? I moved back home to go to school for financial reasons. It sucks but at least I think that I could do something either part-time (go back to my brothers pharmacy) and get some additional training for instance school nursing. I decided to go to a cheap school ( I found out I have more than half the classes at an associate degree level. Then while I am doing that I can take classes on-line towards my BSN. Belive me it sucks moving back home at 41 with parents who are extremely oldfashioned (believe me you could not even imagine and would laugh if I told you how oldfashioned) I feel that the economy should get better in 2 years. Just a little idea.

I am so happy this article was posted. So many people don't realize just how much this recession has affected nursing. I get so tired of people asking me why I haven't found a job yet. When I tell them the situation of hospitals not hiring new grads, they look at me in total disbelief, because there's such a "huge nursing shortage". It just makes me want to scream! Getting a nursing job is just not THAT easy anymore. I even had one nurse recruiter tell me flat out that because of the economy, hospitals just can't afford to take a chance on hiring a new grad and paying extra money to train them anymore. I also wish they would offer more internships for new grads at hospitals. There just doesn't seem to be that many. In the state I live in, there are only 2 RN internships available in the entire state. Yet, there are dozens of nursing schools and very few hospitals that are willing to hire new grads. I just hope things improve soon, so people can start finding jobs.

Follow the money! The same people who generate the opinions that lead to the nursing shortage hysteria are the same people who stand to gain from this misconception.

1) Academia- if there is a nursing shortage they can demand more money to raise faculty pay (to recruit more instructors to increase class size blah, blah, blah)
2)Politicians- emergencies give license to spend more, enact policy, look like they are doing something...
3) Hospitals- if there is a nursing shortage they have an excuse to staff short etc.

This is a case of the fox guarding the hen house of public opinion.

I couldn't agree more and I am glad to see someone address this very real issue contributing to the so called nursing shortage. Schools also benefit from increased enrollments, hospitals can continue to short staff and continue the same poor working conditions and it does instill fear in people who demand that the politicians do something to change the system but the changes are merely superficial and cosmetic.

I am counting my blessings everyday that i am in a program that is being paid for by a large hospital system, sure i had to agree to work for them for 2 years but it is well worth it. I am in a diploma progam with tons and tons of clinical hours and an agreement with a well respected local university for us to finish our bsn through them in a little less than a year once we have our diplomas. and if for some reason they dont hire us , as long as it isnt because of something we are responsible for(like losing clearances or something of that nature) then at the very least we have gotten our education for free and wont be stuck with tons of debt. sadly though for those coming after my class there is no longer a total free ride, i heard they are modifying it to only pay for a portion but still requiring the 2 year commitment. so basically as long as we keep our noses clean we will have jobs in the end to gain the experience we need to be marketable elsewhere. but to all of those our there that arent so lucky i wish you the best of luck just hang in there!

thanks hidden cat. Nothing like spending 5 full years in college and investing 60,000$ of unearned money on education to find that I could realistically have to continue working as a CNA (with a BSN haha) after graduation. And I dont think this is being whiney. Maybe I would feel differently if i wasnt eating spagetti or pb&j every night or had some health insurance. I do however, believe that I will eventually be able to find a hospital job, though maybe not til i pass my boards. and yea, im soo annoyed by everyone telling me not to worry thought...these are the same people that also prolly thought that nursing school was easy and that i was just exaggerating about what goes on there
good luck to all!

Well to try to be positive are there any openings or job postings out there at all? Just because the job market looks like it has "dried up" for nursing I still think there are jobs out there somewhere. Good luck new grads hopefully it will get a little better before I graduate in 2010. If you are having difficulty finding jobs and could afford the option you could try volunteering to get experience or travel to another country where you can put your nursing skills to use in a clinic or community health setting. I know not everyone can afford those suggestions with the economy but it’s something to think about.