An Over-population of nurses?

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 20, 2003

could happen, of course, cause there IS NO SHORTAGE OF NURSES, just ones willing to put up with the garbage being shoved down our throats daily, especially in the hospital environment. That and the hospitals are forever cutting positions, making those left do more with less. So yes, it is conceivable, in the right conditions for there to be a surplus of nurses needing work in the future. Of course it is!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 20, 2003

That happened about 8 or so years ago here. Also, in some parts up north. New grads were scrambling for jobs, experienced nurses had it easier. But if one was willing to travel or try LTC at first, which seemed to have more jobs, one could still work. Then the shortage returned with a vengence.

I think most studies are indicating that the shortage is here to stay for a while so I wouldn't worry. Good luck in school.

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Jul 20, 2003

Not really. What we are experiencing now is a demographic shift, the aging babyboomer population coupled with an aging RN workforce (about to converge in 10-15 years). In these few short years, the "shortage" is projected to become a crisis, if nothing is done to remedy it. Training new students is hampered by an already-critical shortage of nursing faculty and lack of funds and resources. The hospitals and nursing homes seem oblivious to the dangerous working conditions that are driving nurses away in droves. Importation of foreign nurses is not an answer, because there simply are not enough.

live4today, RN · Jul 21, 2003

Originally posted by SmilingBluEyes
could happen, of course, cause there IS NO SHORTAGE OF NURSES, just ones willing to put up with the garbage being shoved down our throats daily, especially in the hospital environment. That and the hospitals are forever cutting positions, making those left do more with less.

AMEN! I'm in TOTAL agreement with you on this Deb!

gwenith, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2003

With nursing there is always a shortage somewhere in the world and like it or not ours is still a female dominated society with women having families and if not dropping out for a year or two at leat cutting back on hours. Overpopulations of nursing tend to be very short lived phenomena,

Nurse Ratched, RN · Jul 21, 2003

I don't fear for my part time hospital job. No one else wants it . Given the current hospital climate, nor do I anticipate anyone wanting it in the near or intermediate future, possibly including myself.

I forsee attempts will be made by mgt to delegate even more nursing reponsibilities to (lower paid) UAP's as they cry that there are not enough nurses to do the job. Nonsense. Smilingblueyes said it all.

night owl · Jul 21, 2003

Originally posted by VickyRN
Not really. What we are experiencing now is a demographic shift, the aging babyboomer population coupled with an aging RN workforce (about to converge in 10-15 years). In these few short years, the "shortage" is projected to become a crisis, if nothing is done to remedy it.

I knew it! I knew that when it was my turn to be in "the home", there would be no one left to change my undergarment... :scrying: It'll be like that movie "28 Days Later..."

I'll wake up in bed in the "home" and there will be no one there. We can make our own movie and call it... "28 years later, the nightmare begins"

Come on all you students! When you get your license and have jobs in those "homes," please don't leave! Ya gotta stay and be there for for me!!!...for us....

Genista, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2003

I also agree with Deb's post. I've been an RN 5 years, and am already plotting my escape from healthcare. It turns out the role of the RN is nothing like what I had hoped for. You can't pay me enough to consider staying in a field where nurses are treated like disposable goods. I make great money now, but I would GLADLY take half the pay for half the stress. The stress and increasing responsibility are not worth it, to me.

But who knows if it might be just fine for you? I know some people can put up with the bologna & politics better than others. Some folks love nursing, despite the drawbacks. More power to them! Someone has to stay in the profession.

Bear in mind that nursing opportunities, like any job, are probably cyclic & that there will boon times & famine. I would say to you- follow your heart. If you really want to be a nurse, you will find a job somehow. Don't worry about the "what ifs," which you have no control over. Believe that somehow, it will all work out. You'll see when you get there.

LauraF, RN, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN · Jul 21, 2003

There was a nursing shortage in the '80's too. For my junior and senior year in high school I had a nursing school recruiter who was always coming up, taking me to dinner, inviting my friends to come too. Boy was I whined and dined. Now I'm going back to school again still too many applications for not enough openings. But I think that the average nurse now adays is 47 years old. Nurses retire everyday, and new one join the work force. Health care itself is becoming more community based, requiring more nurses.

sjoe · Jul 21, 2003

blueeyes has it right, as usual. nursing has often swung between surpluses and "shortages" throughout its existence, which is one reason nursing schools are reluctant to ramp up now.

roxannekkb · Jul 21, 2003

There have been severe nursing shortages in the 1950s, the 1960s, the 1970s, the 1980s and the 1990s. In fact, for the last half century, there has been a chronic nursing shortage that just wanes and waxes in intensity. Even during the cutbacks of the mid-1990s, in California where they were laying off nurses left and right, I had more per-diem and agency work than I knew what to do with.

As some have already pointed out, the shortage right now is not one of lack of nurses, but of lack of tolerable places to work. There are currently 500,000 people who hold an RN license (I'm one of them) but who do not work in nursing. Some are retired, of course, but 130,000 are working full time in other fields, and another 200,000 or so are unemployed, working part time, working freelance, and so on.

So I think there's no need to worry about having a job, or pushing too many students into nursing. The attrition rate of new grads is double from what it was 10 years ago. As fast as schools turn out new nurses, that's how fast others leave the profession.

This may change if hospitals do decide to improve working conditions and treat nurses as professionals. Then nursing will become a desirable highly sought after profession, and become competitive.

Also, my fear is that this shortage is a ploy to bring in low-cost foreign nurses. Afterall, we are outsourcing all the other jobs in the US, so this is another way of doing it. Then bound by a contract, hospitals will not have to do anything to improve working conditions. Won't have to pay overtime. Can have all the mandatory overtime they want. Can give ICU nurses 4 patients a piece. And so on. :imbar

That too, will cut down the need for US trained nurses.

But at this very moment, jobs are very plentiful and will continue to be so for a while. Nurses are not returning to the profession in droves, there is still a limited number of new grads entering, nurses are still leaving at the same pace they were five years ago, and foreign nurses are still a trickle--albeit getting stronger. :nurse: