Do new graduates really get a job that easily in nursing?

sauconyrunner · May 25, 2012

This is not a magic bullet, but I recommend get certified as a CNA, and trying to get a job in a hospital. You will not get "RN experience" but you will get experience. I would always prefer to hire an RN with CNA experience.

Once you get that job, you will have to remember EVERY DAY:

to never complain.

Always come to work on time

Only call in sick when you are actually sick.

volunteer for Performance improvement projects

help your co-workers

act interested even when you are not.

We often hire our aids who become new grads. Ones that are not hired...you can bet there is a reason that we already know about. (Time and attendance, bad attitude, does not play well with others.)

Good Luck!

pecanpies · May 25, 2012

I think it also greatly depends on where you live, and in some cases, what school you went to. I am fortunate enough to live in an area where there is still a good demand for nurses with their BSNs (Louisville, KY). I went to a school that has an excellent reputation in the community. Out of my class of about 60, nearly all of us have jobs. Many of us got jobs in ICU, PACU, ER...even a couple in NICU and PICU. I only know a handful of people who got days, but that's to be expected. I just went in to sign my new hire paperwork at my job and the recruiter told me they still had plenty of openings, and to send any friends who didn't have a job yet to her! I feel very lucky to be living in this area and I'm glad I made the decision to go ahead & get my BSN instead of starting with an ADN. No offense at all to nurses with ADNs - but in my area, hospitals just want the BSN.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · May 25, 2012

no! there is a misconception out there.......there is no shortage. nurses and new grads cannot find jobs all across the country. you may graduate nursing school with thousands in debt.....simply to find yourself unemployed. the jobs maybe posted but there are hiring freezes due to the economy. nurses have returned to the workforce because their s.o. is unemployed and nurses who planned to retire cannot because we lost our butts in 401k when everything crashed. there are nursing schools churning out grads at an alarming rate to take advantage of the economy and the flocking of society to the "recession proof" healthcare field...with no positions to fulfill. there are hospitals that offer "internships" or "residencies" that you pay them to train you available but they are few and far between and don't guarantee employment, right now it just stinks out there :sniff: hospitals are "short staffed" but they want it that way......due to budget cuts and hospitals are still laying off.

https://allnurses.com/nursing-news/jo...ds-662139.html

https://allnurses.com/nursing-first-j...ew-636865.html

medscape: medscape access (requires registration but is free......it's an excellent site!)

the big lie?

without a doubt, the main source of frustration experienced by recently graduated and licensed but still unemployed nurses is what could be called "the big lie."in other words, the television commercials that encourage young people to become nurses -- and then abandon them for months (or years) without employment; and the educators who tell them that the associate's degree is perfectly adequate to guarantee employment, that they will have their pick of jobs when they graduate, and that there is plenty of time to get a bsn later on. who knows whether it is greed, ignorance, or wishful thinking that underlies the fairy tales told to nursing students about their future job prospects? whatever the motivation, the disillusionment of our new grads is palpable. the jobs they expected after all of their hard work just haven't materialized, and some grads are getting pretty desperate.

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/state-state-percentage-667169.html

there are many making the jump to nursing thinking it is recession proof....but it is not. many new grads are getting out of school and not getting jobs.

looking out for our new nurse grads

be a nurse...if you can

a popular website about the nursing profession claims, "there has never been a better time to be a nurse." "be" a nurse? perhaps, but "become" a nurse? perhaps, that is less certain. in spite of continuing to rank among the best careers and best jobs in america, the nursing profession is struggling to welcome its newest members with open arms and paychecks. you have to register for medscape but it is free(no strings)

medscape: medscape access

nurses are talking about: jobs for new grads

the big lie?

without a doubt, the main source of frustration experienced by recently graduated and licensed but still unemployed nurses is what could be called "the big lie."in other words, the television commercials that encourage young people to become nurses -- and then abandon them for months (or years) without employment; and the educators who tell them that the associate's degree is perfectly adequate to guarantee employment, that they will have their pick of jobs when they graduate, and that there is plenty of time to get a bsn later on. who knows whether it is greed, ignorance, or wishful thinking that underlies the fairy tales told to nursing students about their future job prospects? whatever the motivation, the disillusionment of our new grads is palpable. the jobs they expected after all of their hard work just haven't materialized, and some grads are getting pretty desperate.

medscape: medscape access

has the nursing shortage disappeared?

it's that time of year again. graduating nursing students are preparing to take the nclex and are looking for their first jobs. this year, many are finding those first jobs in short supply.

reports are rampant of new graduates being unable to find open positions in their specialty of choice, and even more shockingly, many are finding it tough to find any openings at all.

these new rns entered school with the promise that nursing is a recession-proof career. they were told the nursing shortage would guarantee them employment whenever and wherever they wanted.

so what happened? has the nursing shortage—that we've heard about incessantly for years—suddenly gone away?

the short term answer is clearly yes, although in the long term, unfortunately, the shortage will still be there.

the recession has brought a temporary reprieve to the shortage. nurses who were close to retirement have seen their 401(k) portfolios plummet and their potential retirement income decline. they are postponing retirement a few more years until the economy—and their portfolios—pick up.

many nurses have seen their spouses and partners lose their jobs and have increased their hours to make ends meet for their families. some who left the profession to care for children or for other reasons have rejoined the workforce for similar reasons.

in addition, many hospitals are not hiring. the recession brought hiring freezes to healthcare facilities across the country, and many are still in effect. help wanted ads for healthcare professionals dropped by 18,400 listings in july.

has the nursing shortage disappeared?

an article by ruby vee a an contributor will be helpful to you.

for those considering a career in nursing

https://allnurses.com/nursing-career-...er-653061.html

if you are still interested......the hospital are open 24/7, 365 days a year. you will work holidays and seekends as well as nights. there are no delayed openings or closures due to bad weather. patients still need care whether it is a blizzard,tornado, or a hurricane. you may leave when you have been relieved and your work is complete. if you patients codes at shift change, before you are relieved, you will stay. you stay until your work is done and your patient is safe....the md? they are already at home with their families...all snug in their beds.

i am not discouraging you from being a nurse....but i want you to have a realistic view of the profession. this is going to sound more harsh than intended.....but, it never ceases to amaze me the perception of people. "i'm tired of my job", "i love babies", "i need more time with my family"....i know i'll pick something easy, guaranteed employment and work in a doctors office.......i'll be a nurse. :idea: and they are all shocked when they realize after graduation that nursing is a hard job, that nurses are the whipping post of many situations. that we are the low man on the totem pole in pecking order but have the most responsibility.

consider your choice carefully...nursing school is expensive and time consuming. it will absorb much free time to studying and paper/care plans. nursing school is very time consuming and financially draining.

this too shall pass....eventually. i wish you luck:heartbeat

PetsToPeople · May 25, 2012

Just about all of our sophmore class had job offers before they even took the nclex, and we are an ADN program. We are a small town and have several nursing programs in our area so this is good news, and contradictory to what I have been hearing so much of here on AN, so I have high hopes for my future job offerings...I have even been approached by HR while waiting in the halls during clinicals lol.

Merlyn · May 25, 2012

I know nursing is a career that is in high demand however, is it really that easy to get a job fresh out of nursing school with a BSN? I'm just curious because I have read several different threads on this website and people are talking about not being hired due to lack of experience. I understand that there are ways of gaining some type of experience before actually going out into the field such as volunteer work, internships, and shadowing but what if somebody doesn't have those opportunities besides just simple volunteer work which doesn't even really give the experience hospitals are looking for. What should I be doing in order to ensure my spot in some hospital after graduation?

It's not as high demanded as you might think. It all depends on what area of the country, what state, what city. What is needed. In my area what is needed are RNs for Pediatric Trach/Vent home care. Another city may need Cardiac. One thing that I have learn over 40 years, Nursing is a crazy business. You may come out and get a job the next day or the next month. But it pays to be able to work your way around a patient. About volunteer work it can be a plus to some hospitals. You never know.

mharrison3931 · May 25, 2012

Ok, so I understand your worries and may have a suggestion for experience. While CNA and Nurse techs are great options you may run into the same problem getting hired, no experience. I am a nursing student and I have a job as a Care Giver for seniors. I know it sounds awful but I have used nearly all of my skills from nursing school ( minus meds) and it helped me get over the initial uncomfortable-ness of bathing someone else and helping them to the bathroom. (And not in front of my clinical instructors) Most of these jobs have mandatory training that allows them to hire people with limited to no experience and train them the way they want. Another benefit is the flexibility of schedules because many Seniors require 24hr care you can work almost any shift and work it around school Its just something to think about. I love my job and while its not always sunshine and rainbows, it allows me to keep up some basic skills like transfers and bathing and the most important HUMILITY. I am learning every day to treat the person and not just whats wrong. I am able to see each of my patients as a person first now thanks to being a caregiver. The company I work for is wonderful and nationwide so if you are interested look it up, its called Home Instead Senior Care.

allnurses Guide · May 26, 2012

Once you get that job, you will have to remember EVERY DAY:
to never complain.
Always come to work on time
Only call in sick when you are actually sick.
volunteer for Performance improvement projects
help your co-workers
act interested even when you are not.
We often hire our aids who become new grads. Ones that are not hired...you can bet there is a reason that we already know about. (Time and attendance, bad attitude, does not play well with others.)
Good Luck!

Amen.

It is not enough just to be working somewhere.

You have to put forth 110% and never complain.

You have to build yourself a reputation as a strong team player who can also work independently and anticipate the needs of patients, families and nurses.

You have to do top-notch work and show pride and enthusiasm in what you do.

If you are lazy, complaining and unable to take direction and constructive criticism with grace...

Well...

So what you "have a foot in the door"...

You need wow them and show them what you can potentially contribute as a nurse carrying extra responsibility.

I know some may think because they work in the ER as a tech, or wherever, that they will be handed a job.

That's just not true.

It certainly helps, but only if you can show them you're worth it (and if they can use you).

unleish05 · May 26, 2012

True enough...this thread can appear a tad discouraging. Make me rethink going for my BSN. I have the option to leave my LPN course and go to Hiram or stay and go to Hiram later. Not sure yet. But if getting a job is this difficult after getting a BSN I may reconsider...then again prayer does change alot of things. Decisions Decisions

loriangel14, RN · May 26, 2012

What I just read is actually quite discouraging. I always thought the world would need nurses so finding a job even when nurses weren't in high demand it would be easy to acquire a job. I'm not even in nursing school yet so what could and should I do to get my foot in the door... I know an internship is my best bet but to even get an internship in Maryland I bet you would have to know somebody on the inside. I didn't think nursing was about knowing people or having the hook up I saw it as hiring and getting people to work for a hospital that are passionate, qualified, and hard working.

Oh yes. it is quite often about who you know and if they like you enough to give you the inside track.The "nursing shortage" is a myth in many areas.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · May 26, 2012

BSN here-jobs are fairly easy to find. ADN (me) not impossible if you are willing to do some work. My graduating class of 31, about half of us have jobs and no one has even taken the NCLEX yet. Network @ your clinical sites, get a job as a CNA, they hire "internal" candidates (or at least look at them first) before external. 5 classmates of mine have gotten New Grad jobs at Duke by working as CNAs. One was PRN and worked maybe one day a month. 4 have gotten ICU jobs, it is certainly doable.

I was lucky, my clinical instructor from 1st semester went back to clinical setting and is a DON. I networked and got a job. I have been working as a CNA home health aide and my boss asked me if I was interested in PRN home visits as an RN, so I ended up with 2 jobs (well 1 1/2)! I just have to pass NCLEX.

ladylysis · May 26, 2012

Move to Ohio.

Inori, BSN, RN · May 26, 2012

Its an unfortunate reality where hospittals & facilities are picky because they can. With many hospital closings, nurses chosing later retirement there's surplus of experienced nurses. I'm in NY and there is no shortage . ok there is need for experienced specialists but not for new grads. I was shocked the first time I got shot down for having no exp and holding an ADN!

Though I do feel that nursing schools have a responsibility to prepare nursing students for the harsh reality of life post graduation. My experience was spending hours days sending resumes out into what feels like a void, getting no respones, ocassinally a rejection, nasty attitude from recruiters, and doors slammed in our faces. "No New Grads", No ADNS, no jobs for you. You need to have a backup / alternate source of making monies if you can't find nursing work for 9-12 months.

I'm only on week 5 of job search and its depressing because I'm clocking in full 10-14 hr days of job search with no monies or results to show for it and family / friends dont' seem to understand how a licensed RN can't find work and they think i'm being picky.

Anyways its important to keep your confidence and spirits up less you become bitter and resentful and it will come across and make you less appealing as a candidate and person. I tell myself no job? its economy but I've got skills and I'm gonna get me a nursing job just gonna take a bit longer. Socialize with your nursing classmates and others so you're not stuck in your room all day filling out job apps and getting depressed.

Also volunteer! use it to build contacts, network and get more comfortable around the medical setting.