from AN it looks like the job market is much better!

Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN · Jul 26, 2011

I have never had a problem with getting a job. I had 3 job offers as a new grad, recently had 4 job offers in the past week in a half. I guess it all depends on the area. I'm in MD.

I live in MD and cannot get a job, many of my colleagues are in the same predicament. Every hospital is in competition for "magnet" status here. Where in MD are you? When I first moved here, 3 years ago, I was a LPN and had no problem getting a job. Now that I am a RN, NOTHING.

jlpsu · Jul 27, 2011

I live in MD and cannot get a job, many of my colleagues are in the same predicament. Every hospital is in competition for "magnet" status here. Where in MD are you? When I first moved here, 3 years ago, I was a LPN and had no problem getting a job. Now that I am a RN, NOTHING.

Someone explain this to me please...I keep reading all over AN that Magnet hospitals...or hospitals trying to get Magnet status will not hire ADN's. Here is my confusion....The two hospitals in our area that already have Magnet status not only hire ADN's, they RUN diploma hospital based RN programs from which they hire a ton of new grads. In my area, there are a ton of job listings for new grads. I think that part depends on the area of the country you are in....but this Magnet thing gets me so confused. How can hospitals in other parts of the country not be hiring ADN's or diploma grads if they are already or are trying to get Magnet status...and in other areas of the country, like mine - they not only hire ADN's, but actually run diploma programs and STILL have their magnet status.

Where in the 'magnet status' criteria is it that they must hire BSN's? Or is that a completely contrived requirement (or believed because so many people repeat it), to either explain why people aren't getting hired or to push the belief that it is so far superior to have your BSN?

delabeaux, MSN · Jul 27, 2011

Someone explain this to me please...I keep reading all over AN that Magnet hospitals...or hospitals trying to get Magnet status will not hire ADN's. Here is my confusion....The two hospitals in our area that already have Magnet status not only hire ADN's, they RUN diploma hospital based RN programs from which they hire a ton of new grads. In my area, there are a ton of job listings for new grads. I think that part depends on the area of the country you are in....but this Magnet thing gets me so confused. How can hospitals in other parts of the country not be hiring ADN's or diploma grads if they are already or are trying to get Magnet status...and in other areas of the country, like mine - they not only hire ADN's, but actually run diploma programs and STILL have their magnet status.
Where in the 'magnet status' criteria is it that they must hire BSN's? Or is that a completely contrived requirement (or believed because so many people repeat it), to either explain why people aren't getting hired or to push the belief that it is so far superior to have your BSN?

Working for a magnet hospital, it is not solely BSN's but a certain percentage: http://scrubsmag.com/magnet-mecca/

Though the article above knocks magnet a little, the hospital I work at does hire ADNs. Though we get 4-6 THOUSAND applications a month so its hard to get it. I will likely get a job there because I'm a current employee... I will be an ADN nurse. However I have a previous B.S. and am dual enrolled in and RN-BSN program at the moment as well.

I see nursing moving to BSN soley eventually.. with MSN programs being eliminated, many programs are phasing out LPNs... it just seems the trend.

Part of being magnet means you can recruit the 'best of the best' and they can be picky if they so choose. With nurse to patient ratios of 4 pts per nurse in the day, and 5 at night (11p-7a), it is no wonder they get thousands of applicants a month.

BlackSweater · Jul 27, 2011

I have a strong feeling that people are much more likely to come to this board (or ANY board, really) and post when they are feeling down / desperate / needing advice than they are when they are feeling optimistic and things are going well ... it's only natural that misery loves company and so there are bound to be a lot more negative posts than positive.

MrChicagoRN, RN · Jul 30, 2011

Really? All I read is new grads not finding work and others not finding work either. There is the occasional "I found a job" post but I don't know where you got your information or perhaps I just don't see it.

There seemed to be many more "no-jobs" posts during the great recession.

Things are still tight, there are more job openings, but still it's usually more economical to hire an experienced nurse.

Under the category of Education and health services, comparing the number of unemployed June '10 vs June '11, the unemployed decreased by 111,000 with an unemployment rate decreasing from 6.2% down to 5.8%

"Health care employment continued to trend up in June (+14,000), with the largest

gain in ambulatory health care services. Over the prior 12 months, health care had

added an average of 24,000 jobs per month."

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t14.htm

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

chevyv, BSN, RN · Jul 31, 2011

No jobs in Wisconsin. Tough to even get into ltc with ADN. Most want BA's with experience.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Jul 31, 2011

43 in my class graduated in May- All ADN

10 were contracted students and received jobs at a hospital.

3 were CNA's at the hospital for years and had jobs lined up before graduation in their same dept.

4 were swapped over to RN jobs in the nursing homes they already worked in.

1 was picked up as an RN in the Dialysis unit she worked it.

1 was picked up as an RN for the Peace Corps and this was worked out before graduation.

5 found jobs in LTC

2 of us have jobs in a hospital without a contract or previous job. Myself and a classmate that I got my boss to give an interview too. It was up to her to land the job which I knew she would have no problem doing if she was given the chance.

The rest are still looking. I am going to put a word in for another friend in 2 weeks.

So just over half the class now have jobs but over half of those were set in place before graduation.

My hospital (Magnet hospital) is the largest employer of new grads in the area with quiet a few schools having nursing programs locally and doing clinicals at the same hospital.

In my new employee orientation (happens every other week) I was the only new grad and there were about 4 nurses.

In my New Grad residency program that just started (happens 4 times a year) there are about 15 of us and that includes about 6 from other states that video conference in, they are in rural 25-40 bed hospitals that are a part of our health system) I was the only recent new grad from August. The rest of the new grads graduated anywhere from December to 18 months ago. A couple worked in LTC since graduating but were considered new grads in the hospital.

I know the New Employee Orientation that is on August 8th has 4 new grads alone which my New Grad residency instructor said was a lot for what they usually see. My friend is in that one so she will start the new grad residency program that starts in Mid. October.

So jobs are out there, but they aren't in an abundance in my area at least. My hospital is a 398 bed teaching hospital. They have a sister hospital that is 132 beds in the next town over, but the new grads primarily get hired at my hospital only unless they are working at the sister hospital. They do it that way since my hospital is better suited to teach the new grads.

We have another large health system in the area with 2 large hospitals (1 of which is Magnet as well) but to my knowledge the only recent new grads hired on there were the 10 contracted students from my semester (which was the last semester for contracts) and the 3 students that already were working there. Which there are a couple more in my class working there as Aides too but they weren't picked up.

So I am not sure where that fits in nationwide and if that would be considered good. Like I said, their are MANY new grads being produced in the area each semester just from local schools alone. I believe there are a total of 5-6 schools doing clinicals at these hospitals. So in that sense it doesn't seem like a lot of jobs.

There is a girl I met on this board that is in my New Grad Residency program. Just from a few of the posts I could tell she was hired on at my same hospital and since we are both New Grads and started around same time we new we were going to be put in the residency program together. We officially met Week before last. She graduated in Dec in another state.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Jul 31, 2011

Someone explain this to me please...I keep reading all over AN that Magnet hospitals...or hospitals trying to get Magnet status will not hire ADN's. Here is my confusion....The two hospitals in our area that already have Magnet status not only hire ADN's, they RUN diploma hospital based RN programs from which they hire a ton of new grads. In my area, there are a ton of job listings for new grads. I think that part depends on the area of the country you are in....but this Magnet thing gets me so confused. How can hospitals in other parts of the country not be hiring ADN's or diploma grads if they are already or are trying to get Magnet status...and in other areas of the country, like mine - they not only hire ADN's, but actually run diploma programs and STILL have their magnet status.
Where in the 'magnet status' criteria is it that they must hire BSN's? Or is that a completely contrived requirement (or believed because so many people repeat it), to either explain why people aren't getting hired or to push the belief that it is so far superior to have your BSN?

We have a few BSN programs in our area. 2 of our hospitals are Magnet hospitals and the other one is in the process of applying, they are just a newer hospital. Jobs are very limited here so the hospital CAN be very selective. Even with that though they still hire ADN nurses.

All the job listings say BSN preferred, but they still hire ADN.

newbienurse2011 · Jul 31, 2011

As a new grad myself with ASN, I too have had trouble finding a job...I had no experience ex. CNA, Tech, etc. But I have had 1 interview and go for another at my dream job on a L/D unit! I just want a job!!!!

DoGoodThenGo · Aug 1, 2011

IMHO just as with the economy in general employment is being created, just not enough jobs and or at a fast enough pace for all those seeking work.

Remember even before the *nursing shortage* there were an abundance of RNs in many areas with valid licences that were either working outside the profession or away from the bedside. Once the economy hit the bricks they all came flooding back into hospitals.

Then we have to remember once or twice a year like clockwork a new crop of students graduate regardless of the number of openings to be filled. In some areas of this country you have grads from far back as two years (and god forbid even longer) who still have not found work.

To all the above just as with the economy in general hospitals either closing and or reducing beds, in short excess capacity is being taken out of the system. In the business world many of those jobs are either no longer required in the new economy, or shipped overseas. For nursing there is a movement away from in facility care towards home or ambulatory settings. So again another parallel with the corporate world in that the skill sets of workers (in this case nurses) do not meet what they require.

If you go by posts here on AN, nurses in certain specialties are in very high demand,OR comes to mind from another thread.

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2011

I'm an RN, BSN with 3 years experience. I have never had trouble finding work in the DC metro area. I recently applied for a few jobs in Philly and also got a prompt response and offer up there. I feel like part of it depends what your experience is in. I think in some areas it is going to be much harder to branch out and start a new specialty.