Career switch to nursing... but are there really no jobs?

[JustMeInDC]

Hi, everyone. Thanks for letting me join your board! This is my first post so I'll briefly introduce myself: I'm switching careers - from education to nursing. I have a Master's degree but am burned out, as well as job hunting. Nursing has always been in my mind so I'm finally going for it. I plan on getting my ADN from a local community college. I have one year of prerequisites before I can start the program...

Now to my question/concern: I keep hearing of "nursing shortages" and that there will "always" be jobs in nursing. This is one reason why I'm switching. However, I keep noticing thread about new grads not being able to get jobs. Is this common? Thank you! And again, I look forward to being part of AllNurses.com...!

JustMeInDC

[tokidoki7, ASN, RN]

I believe it's regional. I live in SW PA and there was a large group of graduate nurses that were just hired at my hospital.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Welcome Aboard - I'm happy that you have made the decision to move into Nursing.

As to Job Availability - we have been operating in "boom or bust" cycles for a long time now. If you graduate during boom times, you get the royal treatment & there are jobs aplenty to choose from. Right now, we are absolutely 'bust' and many new grads are finding it hard to land that first job. The economy is in the dumper right now and hiring new grads is a lot more expensive due to the need for a long orientation & additional training before they become fully productive. My organization hired 75% fewer new grads this year than last year but there has been no change in our recruitment of experienced nurses.

However, once you get past the new grad hurdle and get > 12 months of experience, you will probably never have a problem finding a job.

[okchug]

There are jobs in OK. Low cost of living too!

[elkpark]

A lot of us considered the so-called nursing "shortage" to be mostly hype, even before the economy tanked.

This is a v. difficult time for new grads to be looking for jobs, but that may well change by the time you (the OP) finish school and start job-hunting.

[Noel1221]

JustmeinDC.

Hello, I have recently also wanted to become a nurse! I have a bachelors in Social science and have always wanted to do Nursing, now I am finishing me pre-reques while working. I also hear alot about there being a shortage of RN jobs in the South, not sure about anywhere else. But maybe by the time we graduate an ADN program, that will change some! Hopefully! Just excited about the change and challenge really!