Are there really no jobs?

zoe92 · May 1, 2013

There are jobs, just some locations are more saturated than others therefore not having any openings. I think within the next few years the job market will improve. You will have more baby boomers hitting retirement age (the oldest ones are not yet 70) so not only does that mean a large number of nurses will retire but there will also be a larger number of people with health issues due to age.

stephanie30 · May 2, 2013

I just read this post https://allnurses.com/nursing-news/nursing-still-attractive-830753.html It doesn't make me feel better about it.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · May 2, 2013

The job market is tight right now but it is tight for everyone. There are some areas of the country that are more affected like California that have a 47% unemployment/under employment rate of new grads.

As nursing goes this is cyclical and the more expereince you have the better your odds...it's a tough world out there right now.

dmk3 · May 3, 2013

I know in my area (the South) there are plenty of jobs even for new grads. I have a friend that is an RN in the north and she changes offices every couple of years. She never has a problem getting a job. The down side here is that it seems that you have to know somebody where you want to work to get hired. I don't think the nursing profession is one that gets hit as hard from a failing economy as opposed to other professions. The flexibility of places a nurse can work is far greater than other occupations as well.

If you can't think of doing anything else or wouldn't be happy doing something else then you have found what you were meant to be!! Discouragement from time-to-time comes with any profession, I think it's normal personally. Go with what will make you happy!!!

stephanie30 · May 3, 2013

I know in my area (the South) there are plenty of jobs even for new grads. I have a friend that is an RN in the north and she changes offices every couple of years. She never has a problem getting a job. The down side here is that it seems that you have to know somebody where you want to work to get hired. I don't think the nursing profession is one that gets hit as hard from a failing economy as opposed to other professions. The flexibility of places a nurse can work is far greater than other occupations as well.
If you can't think of doing anything else or wouldn't be happy doing something else then you have found what you were meant to be!! Discouragement from time-to-time comes with any profession, I think it's normal personally. Go with what will make you happy!!!

We are in the South too. There are a lot of job opening even in our small town. But, we won't be staying here. I know jobs are hard to get right out of college period. I hope to get a part time job after my first semester of nursing school. I would try sooner, but I want to be at home with my kids as long as I can. I talked with my husband about just going the LPN route for now, but he said he thinks I should just try for the ADN program first. We know we will be here for 2 more years and if I am in nursing school already we can extend. I know the requirements for the school here and am almost done with them. Who knows what the next place will require.

Stephalump · May 3, 2013

The issue is that job openings do not equal job opportunities for new grads. A hospital could have a million postings, but none of those matter if they aren't looking for YOU.

There are a good number of job openings in my area, but new grads are still struggling - especially ADNs.

I would talk to new grads in your area if you can. I don't think anyone who hasn't been actively pursing a new grad position can really give you accurate insight.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · May 5, 2013

I know in my area (the South) there are plenty of jobs even for new grads. I have a friend that is an RN in the north and she changes offices every couple of years. She never has a problem getting a job. The down side here is that it seems that you have to know somebody where you want to work to get hired. I don't think the nursing profession is one that gets hit as hard from a failing economy as opposed to other professions. The flexibility of places a nurse can work is far greater than other occupations as well.
If you can't think of doing anything else or wouldn't be happy doing something else then you have found what you were meant to be!! Discouragement from time-to-time comes with any profession, I think it's normal personally. Go with what will make you happy!!!

I live in the north...I will tell you jobs are NOT "plenty" here and especially for new grads. Increasingly....hospitals are requiring a BSN.

The economy effected the nursing profession as much as it did other professions. The "supposed" nursing shortage was configured in a booming economy by the anticipation of mandatory staffing ratios.....which NEVER happened by the way....and the anticipated retirement of a large group of nurses my age...which also never happened.

When wall street crashed...so did many of these nurses entire retirement funds that were all but depleted. Nurses husband lost their jobs...so with no retirement monies and a loss of income with insurance benefits......thousands of nurses were forced to cancel any thoughts of retirement. Thousands of nurses who were stay at home Mom's returned to the workforce when their spouses' significant other lost their jobs and benefits.

There was the big push by the government for "Emergency staffing bills" that increased the importation of internationally trained nurses by an extra 20,000 nurses a year....huge ad campaigns were launched and predatory for profit schools grew by the hundreds when it became clear that 50% of ALL college grads who graduated ....remained unemployed.

New programs emerged like the accelerated BSN and direct entry RN/MSN/NP created exactly

for the unemployed college graduate desperate for a job.....for what other profession could you go to school for 2 years and have a guaranteed job....right?

As television ads and the government painted a rosey picture of rainbows and pots of gold...the hears reality of what is really going on has been covered by a smoke screen of lies and promises.

As the economy remains poor (regardless of what they say on the news) The market remains saturated with new graduate nurses...that are unemployed. There are hundreds of applicants for every position in many areas of the country....especially those around major cities...with the average job search for a sub optimal position with mediocre pay is approximately 18 months. The promise of "pick your job", "pick your favorite area". "pick your hours".... are in reality take whatever position you can to get in the door and you WILL be working nights. weekends, and holidays.

These job openings are for "at least one year experience" for hospitals being just like any other big business has no interest in training the new grad...it is expensive and most new grads leave for their "dream" position within one year so the facility that rained you never gets to recoup your education they gave you....many facilities hire a very limited number of select individuals. HUNDREDS of applications are filled out for maybe 20 positions.......it is really tough out there right now.

Your friend who works in an office who changes positions every two year is EXTREMELY fortunate for I have been a nurse for 34 years and I KNOW MD office positions are far and few between and very few hire RN's.....there are some with LPN positions but most MD offices are now hiring MA's for these positions. For as the reimbursement decreases and the MD's costs increased, so, they cut expenses and hired those who require the least in compensation.

That being said...eventually nurse my age will have no choice but to retire...we will frankly get too old or too ill to continue....and will retire without a retirement income.....most facilities don't offer anything but 401K and many facilities have stopped contributing due to "hard economic times" while the CEO's receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in bonuses every year.

All these new grads right now will grow tired of waiting around for a position that may never come and move on.....so.....when the next financial crisis occurs because ALL these people default on their loans due to the fact they cannot find jobs.....the dust will settle......my best guess is around 2020...the will be more needs for nurses but it will never be as it has been in the past. As recent as 2007 a local HUGE hospital near me offered loan forgiveness as a perk to work for them.....those days are long gone.

I do not want to be Debbie Downer...for I believe if you really want to be a nurse...nothing will stand in your way. I have LOVED being a nurse for 34 years and I can't think of anything else I would rather do......but my motto has always been...Praemonitus praemunitus...... forewarned is forearmed.

Network early...while you are in school...get top grades....consider advance degrees.

I wish you all the best.!

julz68 · May 5, 2013

I live in the northern Midwest and in my area there are a lot of jobs for new grads. I got hired a couple days after passing NCLEX as did most of my graduating class. In fact, the unit I work on is about 60% "new" with 2 years or less experience.