I am a new member, and have, until now, thought that nursing was my calling...
I am trying to make a career change, and have always wanted to do this, but could never afford to until now.
However, after reading all the scary "There are no nursing jobs anywhere! Run for the hills!" posts, I am seriously second thinking it. I want to, but not if I literally can't get hired anywhere?
So are these folks exaggerating at all, or are there really no available nursing jobs to be found anywhere?
I am in Kentucky also; I am in Lexington. We have University of Kentucky Med Center, Saint Joe Main and East, Central Baptist, Good Sam, and two VAs and all are hiring new grads. Central Baptist alone employs over 900 RNs. UK is on a hiring freeze for all non-essential staff, but that does not include RNs. Experienced RNs are hard to come by around here and all the hospitals work hard to keep them... Nursing students are recruited pretty hard when they rotate through clinicals at different sites. The hospitals have good relationships with the nursing programs and when you reach graduation you already have all the conections you need to land a job...
Here is one in Wyoming in OB that does not require experience:
P.S. I live in Wisconsin and have no association with this hospital at all. I just ran across this job and noted no experience required and posted here for the benifit of new grads looking for work.
Thank you. I like Wyoming. I'm putting this hospital's info in my file.
There were plenty of nursing jobs in my area (Seattle) last year for new grads. Now they just aren't there. I'm not sure when they will be, but many of us who worked as techs weren't hired on as RNs and can't find work elsewhere. Doesn't matter what people say about last year. Things have changed.
I am not going to let anything get in the way of my ultimate goal. Plus, by the time I graduate and am ready to work, I'm sure there will be more offerings.
One advantage I have is that I live in Nashville, TN. There are a ton of hospitals and I just did a job search and found plenty of places that were willing to hire new grads. They may not start off paying as well as I had intended, but beggars can't be choosers in an economy like this.
Which brings me to my next point: Another advantage I have is my flexibility. I am not one to ASSume or judge....but as an older student, who's been around in terms of careers and jobs....I know what employers are looking for in a new hire. I sometimes get a feeling that certain, not all, but certain fresh out of school younger, inexperienced nursing students think that they hold all the cards, and limit themselves as far as availability, salary, demands, etc... I am willing to work any shift, anytime, and if they start me out a minimum wage, so be it. At least I will have gotten my foot in the door.
This place is great though, it's so nice to have somewhere I can ask questions and get real answers! :up:
Might seem so, but I'm an "older" student and I can't find work. I've been working in healthcare for 10 years, took a giant paycut to get a nurse tech job in the hospital I had been employed with for 5 years, only to find out that new grads weren't being hired this year. Experienced RNs might find work, but even new grads with experience aren't finding any here. And yes, I have awesome references and plenty of connections. I get alot of, "We'll let you know when something becomes available for a new grad," or "We are just getting so much volume; we are typically hiring people who are known to us on the unit." And not everyone on those units is being hired. I have plenty of friends who have had to move on.
Everybody is on a hiring freeze. You won't get a job this moth for sure, but by the end of September or October, you will start hearing your phone ring. Keep your fingers crossed and save your pennies.
Right now I work in retail, promoted to the ladies' shoe department. I hate it, but then so did Al Bundy lmao! (I can't wait to have a rewarding career where I'm constantly learning new things, helping people, and where all the excitement is. I wouldn't care if I was working in ED, ICU, or an old folk's home. sorry, tangent lol) But business is pretty bad. I used to be able to pull an extra $1000 to $2000 a month, depending on what month....and now I barely break even for my commission.
Everything sucks atm, evidently. So I guess we'll all just keep our fingers crossed, and see what happens in the future.
I live in Eastern Ky and just went to the jobs available section of my local hospital's website and there were 11 RN positions available. Below is a copy of the employment eligibility requirements from their RN job description page.
"Associates Degree in Nursing is required. Bachelors Degree in Nursing is preferred. Current KY RN License is required. Current BLS certification is required. Knowledge of patient care equipment and basic computer skills are required."
Maybe nurses have been spoiled too long. What other degree can you get and even find a job in the area you want without relocating? I think some new grads might just need to look at the bigger picture. Consider working in long term care or per diem. Look at home health care or health dept.
In my area everyone coming out of nursing school has a job lined up. Most of the hospitals are hiring. I graduated May 2008 and the hospitals were fighting over us. I even had some recruiters get nasty. I told one recruiter I had already accepted another job and he said, "Well that job is gonna suck, and you'll come crying back to us to apply." I was like, whoa. Another one of the hospitals brought in coolers and handed out ice cream after our exams. They called me for 6 months before I finally told them I was happy at my current job. Sign on bonuses and bribary are even still common events to get people to work at their hospital.
I am a new member, and have, until now, thought that nursing was my calling...
I am trying to make a career change, and have always wanted to do this, but could never afford to until now.
However, after reading all the scary "There are no nursing jobs anywhere! Run for the hills!" posts, I am seriously second thinking it. I want to, but not if I literally can't get hired anywhere?
So are these folks exaggerating at all, or are there really no available nursing jobs to be found anywhere?
While I don't have my ideal nursing job 6 months out of school, I have three jobs.
Long term care is my primary job
I do a few hours a week in peds. home health (about 12)
I'm training for a call position at a local hospital, very, very, very lucky to get this! I know someone who works at this hospital, and they are in a position right now where they will have a lot of nurses retiring in the next few years, so they are very willing to get some "young blood" on board.
It has been hard to find hospital jobs right now, but there ARE jobs out there if you're willing to look.
Specializes in acute rehab, med surg, LTC, peds, home c.
I think this economy helps to separate those who want to be nurses from those who want to go into nursing just for a "good, stable" job.
I dont get it--How does this economy do that? I think many people are flocking into the field for a good stable job. Not picking on you, just wondering what you mean.
:up:
sugarbush
36 Posts
I am in Kentucky also; I am in Lexington. We have University of Kentucky Med Center, Saint Joe Main and East, Central Baptist, Good Sam, and two VAs and all are hiring new grads. Central Baptist alone employs over 900 RNs. UK is on a hiring freeze for all non-essential staff, but that does not include RNs. Experienced RNs are hard to come by around here and all the hospitals work hard to keep them... Nursing students are recruited pretty hard when they rotate through clinicals at different sites. The hospitals have good relationships with the nursing programs and when you reach graduation you already have all the conections you need to land a job...