I was asked to conduct courtesy interviews for several new nurses who were not able to obtain a job as a nurse. These nurses had graduated in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
It was interesting to speak with them as they were hopeful that a job would come their way.
What did concern me was that these nurses did not understand that they are not practice ready. By practice ready, I mean being able to go on the floor, get report and get to work as either a staff or charge nurse.
The nurses I spoke with had their degree and a license to practice but no paid experience. Volunteer experience is a great way to make contacts but it is not the backbone of a resume.
I explained to the nurses how tight positions for nurses are and that more belt tightening will be occurring in healthcare in the region (NYC).
All the nurses were under the impression that once they got their RN they could do what they wanted professionally. The expectations they have about the nursing profession are very inflated.
The changes over the last several years are having a cumulative effect...schools are graduating too many nurses for too few positions. As new nurses are graduated, the previous years graduates become more unlikely to get a nursing job. Skills fade when not used plus employers would rather take a new nurse straight out of school rather than a nurse who has been on the side lines.
Nursing schools base their educational program on the assumption that their graduates will be employed in a hospital. The hospital will prepare the graduate nurse to function as a staff nurse via new nurse orientation programs and preceptor programs. Due to the problems in the economy which has been effecting facilities since the 2007 recession, positions have been reduce or eliminated, turnover is down, fiscal issues are becoming a priority effecting everyone in healthcare.
New nurses are expensive to train and orient. My personal feelings is that if the schools did a better job preparing students to practice, the graduates would have a better chance to secure gainful employment. We all know of nurses who got a job as a nurse in a hospital, went through a lengthy & costly orientation only to realize nursing is not for them. Some of these nurse will bounce from job to job hoping their next employer will be different. It sad to say but it is the same everywhere...just different characters. In the era of a nursing shortage, new nurses could do this, today it is a different ball game.
I told the nurses the standard advice: keep applying, volunteer, get a BSN or other training, etc. The sad fact is if these woman need to be working not on the sidelines hoping that jobs will be opening up in the next few months.
I firmly believe if the schools had prepared the nurses for practice, the nurses would have a better chance in the job market. I also firmly believe that nursing schools need to prepare nurses for the future of nursing practice...community health, home health, LTC, public health and outpatient and clinic practices. Schools don't play up these areas but these are the areas that nurses in the future will be working. Hospitals will become leaner with more treat and street services.
Anyway, this is my thoughts on this subject. I welcome comments.
