Philadelphia area job market?

U.S.A. Pennsylvania

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Hi -- I'm new to this board. I've read a lot of contradictory things about the nursing job market in Philly. For example, I gather that it's terrible and new grads can't find jobs (see recent article in Philadelphia Weekly: http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/cover-story/Recession-Diaries.html?page=2&comments=1&showAll=), that it's hard to find jobs and really depends on who you know, and that hospital jobs may be hard for new grads, but that you can always find a position with a nursing home.

I also hear contradictory things about the necessity of having a BSN. I hear that most positions at magnet hospitals now require a BSN, but I've also heard that most hospitals care more about the bachelor's degree than about whether it is a bachelor's in nursing.

I'm taking steps to switch from a fundraising career to nursing. I've been taking prerequisites and hope to start the 2-year associates program at CCP in Fall 2010. I already have a BA and an MA, both in History. I'm hoping to do the nursing program at CCP, get my RN license, and start working as a nurse. Is that just hopelessly naive?

Rather than post this on the PA Nursing Programs board, I'm approaching you PA nurses who are already out there, working or looking for work. For new nurses with previous bachelor's degrees, how important is it to start out with the BSN? What's the scoop on the job prospects in the Philly area, now and two years out?

My next big step (the irreversible one) will be to leave my current job this summer. In this climate, that's scary. But I can't juggle this job and nursing clinicals at the same time.

Thanks for your thoughts. I'm all ears...

I finished 's ACE program in September, have a 2.5 year-old, a husband, and a lot of family support. My first degree was in Bio, and I did a postbac way back in 2001 with the goal of going to med school, so the clinical and pathophys aspects of nursing school were pretty familiar. Even with my background and support, Drexel's program was hell. It's not so much the material as the structure of the program itself. And the Drexel faculty member was just being honest, believe me. Once Second Quarter starts, you are in clinical 3 days a week, class 2 days a week; you've one day off (aside from Sunday) with the possibility of Saturday clinicals (which are more painful than they should be); your day off might be Thursday, when your kids are in school or daycare, leaving only Sunday as family time/prep for the week/spend time with the spouse (or sig other)/ catch up on bills/ etc, etc.... Most likely the weekday that you are off will be your prep day for Adult clinical, or a study day.

Then there's the issue of evening clinicals (~3-9pm), for which you need adequate childcare coverage. Remember that no matter how much support you have, no one is really as willing to put up with your kid's idiosyncrasies as much as you are; it's really easy to burn out a babysitter, spouse, mom, sister .... I've gone through them all. And you still need to go to the dentists, dr's offices, the bank, etc, all those places that are open only during the "business hours" when you are in class or clinical.

I would consistently have clinical sites an hour or more away from either my home or Drexel's campus (Drexel does not have a dedicated hospital, only an association with Hahnemann, so clinical sites are competed for with other nursing schools in the area), and with (sometimes) mandatory prep times, this often meant getting up at 4am or earlier to get to a site by 6am to prep and start at 7am. With rush hour and studying, and the dinner-bath-bed routine, I was lucky if I really interacted with my kid for 45 minutes a day. If you have 3 kids, that's 15 minutes per kid! If this is going to be an issue, make it a consideration in deciding where to go. I kind of ignored the issue until it bit me on orifice, and it almost tanked me. Anyone *can* make it work, but there's no shame in deciding that another path is better for you.

If I had to do it over, I would probably have still done the accelerated BSN, but a longer program with graduate credits (like Jeff's - I ultimately want an MSN); faster isn't always better. If you feel like CCP's program is a good fit for you and for your goals, go for it. There are plenty of RN-BSN bridge programs that you can complete (if you want the BSN later - not everyone does; my mom has an ADN from CCP, and is perfectly happy being grandfathered in at UPenn), and if the pace and price are more to your liking, do it.

As for job prospects, they aren't great, simply because previous experience is not nursing experience. But, I have gotten feedback from recruiters (before and after finishing ACE), that all else being equal, hiring a 2nd degree new grad is preferable to hiring a 1st degree new grad RN, just because we have more experience in being employees, working with others, etc - chalk it up to life experience. Also, we tend to be more sure that this is what we want to do, because we've done other things. Some recruiters are really into that. Jobs are out there, though - most of my fellow ACErs with jobs moved outside of philly, but some of us are from here and are sticking it out. Most postings are looking for experienced nurses, and many city hospitals reject new grads out-of-hand. All the recruiters I have talked to are optimistic about the future market in this area, recommending that new grads get some experience in as high-acuity a role as possible, such as a tele floor in a LTC facility. I think that you'd be in a better position in two years than right now, so I would definitely encourage moving forward in nursing, whether with your ADN or BSN.

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Hello fellow Nurses and /or future Nurses. As a older Nurse I have a few thoughts to add. Decide first what is truely the most important thing to you.

Do you intend to stay in the area that you now live? If the answer is yes and the job opportunities for Nurses is poor, then survey the market and decide what services are needed in your area. Maybe it is providing a job service or providing nurse aids in the home, or some one to do chores for elderely, or other housekeeping services. Maybe there is a need in your area for a Nurse to review charts for Lawyers. Maybe there is a need for someone to provide walkers, wheel chairs, etc for disabled, etc.

However if you really truely want to work as a Nurse NOW, then find out what parts of the country need your services. Work as a Traveling Nurse or move to the area that is in need of Nurses.

Just because something is a certain way where you live does not make it so every where.

Some of you just need more bed side nursing experience, with out job experience the degrees are not worth much in most places

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wow... just came across this thread, and i now i kind of wish i didn't! i was just accepted for 's ace program for fall 2010. i was planning on trying to work part time during the program, but it is sounding like that is pretty impossible. any other thoughts on that? my fiancé (who will be my husband by then!) will be supporting us mostly, but i don't think we can do it with me not working at all! do you know if anyone is able to work part time and still be successful at the program? we don't have kids, so that is not a concern.

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I think you should go the cheaper route. Also, do a program that is associated with a hospital if you can. I really think it makes it easier to get a job, they look out for their own. Good Luck deciding. PS -- A BSN makes a difference for Penn, CHOP, and Temple. That's about it.

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Thanks everybody! This is a lot to think about, but I'm feeling really encouraged again.

I was all revved up to apply and start in Fall 2010. Then I started this thread as I started getting cold feet. I definitely still want to switch from my current career to nursing, but I'm weighing the pace and timing. We really want to have a third child (and you just can't control the timing with adoption -- you get picked when you get picked), so I'm considering staying in my current job (which offers flexibility and parental leave benefits) for another year or two until we've finished expanding our family. I can keep chipping away at the pre-reqs/core courses.

I'm so glad that I found this site. Thanks for all your thoughts and insights. Good luck!

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For those of you doing accelerated programs, for what it's worth: While I didn't go to , I went to Rush University (in Chicago) and did their 12 month accelerated second degree program (which they no longer have...I was in their last class!). Anyway, it was an intense 12 month program, but I did work on the weekends as a waitress at a breakfast place. I worked anywhere from 6-16 hours per week, and I LOVED it. I graduated near the top of my class, so it was completely doable, but I don't think many other people in my program worked. I commuted to and from school (1-1.5 hours each way...I studied A LOT on the train!), and I lived at home with my parents so I didn't have to worry about cooking dinner (most of the time). Plus, I don't have any kids! I give major props to anyone who does an accelerated program with kids...wayyyyyy harder than anything!

Anyway, just my two sense to say that I had a part-time job during an accelerated program and still did great. All I did for 12 months was go to school, work, and study study study study study, but it was worth it in the end! Nursing school is going to be hard whether it takes 12 months or 24 months, but you'll get there. :)

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Where did you receive your ADN from if you don't mind me asking? I am currently trying to decide which is the best avenue for me for school and your advice would greatly help me.

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For those who are planning to stay in the Philly area, please think carefully about getting your BSN and not your ASN. Because the job market is so tight, hospitals can afford to be very choosy about who they hire. Right now, many are specifying BSN required and/or preferred. There was an article in the Daily News a few months ago (I saw it here on AN) that said about half the graduates of last May's CCP ASN class did not yet have jobs. And when Jefferson eliminated its ASN program a couple of months ago, they specifically said it was because area hospitals no longer want to hire ASNs. Does that mean no ASN will get a job? No, of course not. But it may take a lot longer.

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Here's the article you're talking about: http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20100131_Jobs_hard_to_find_for_new_nurses.html

I worked with someone who graduated in May and while he did find a job, he had a hard time finding one and he was a strong candidate.

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This is a good thread. Very informative. I too, have a Bachelors but I want to pursue an Associates in Nursing.

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well this is discouraging.... im a pre nursing student who is getting certifeid in phlebotomy and getting my CNA first hopefully that experience will help me.. but im going for my ADN....

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Hi. Just curious, if the market has changed since the original post is 2010? Also, are there no jobs in Philly or does that also apply to hospitals outside the city, like Bucks/Montgomery Counties. I am finishing up pre-requisites right now as well as applying to several schools for the ABSN and feeling a little discouraged after reading this post. I'm hoping it has changed a bit. Could you let me know.

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