Do you think the job market for nurses will improve by the time you graduate?

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Lack of nursing jobs is pretty much on top of everyone's mind right now. I feel like it's the biggest issue out there for aspiring nurses. As a pre-nursing student it's made me question my career choice a couple of times, however, I keep hearing about how demands for nurses is cyclical and it will eventually go back to the way it used to be with an abundance of work opportunities everywhere. So for now, I'm holding still and not making any major changes.

What about you? Do you think things will be better by the time you graduate and you're ready to work? Or do you think it'll be like this for a long time? If you don't see the situation improving within the near future, what's still making you pursue this field?

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I thought nurses were in demand?

You know, the US is even recruiting nurses from other countries, and I know this because I have cousins from Asia who are getting recruited.

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All you have to do is look a little bit at the main, general discussion lounge of this website to see post after post from new-grads complaining about the lack of work available. From everyone' statements, it seems like the demand has completely faded. Also, when I checked my local hospital (I live in Los Angeles) for RN openings out of curiosity, they had a huge disclaimer saying they are not gonna look at RN applications because of the huge influx of applicants trying to get whatever, little jobs there are at the moment.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
I thought nurses were in demand?

You know, the US is even recruiting nurses from other countries, and I know this because I have cousins from Asia who are getting recruited.

Just because there are agencies going abroad doesn't mean they will get a visa. For many retrogression has been ongoing since Oct 06 and there are many many waiting still for a immigrant visa and they have a application date of 2005. If they get a H1b then they should be specialised and the employer has to prove to the government that they can not employ a US or PR nurse which I think would be hard in the current US climate

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Some programs (like recruiting, especially overseas where more time getting paperwork in order) are slow in responding to changes in the market. Ever read, "Who Moved My Cheese"?

I think the need for nurses will increase dramatically as the babyboomers age but it won't happen soon. It will take longer than 3 to 5 years from now. Whether that need translates into a better market for nurses depends on what the socialization of health care does. I am still interested in health care because I find what I'm learning in my classes absolutely fascinating. Also, I haven't found/thought of another career that interests me.

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Honestly, I doubt there will be much difference in the next few years. I know it says everywhere that there is a nursing shortage but nobody wants to hire new grads right now. The nurses that wanted to retire a few years ago (before the economy went in the crapper) cant now b/c their 401Ks are all gone and forced them to keep working. Also, people who retired are now coming BACK to work and taking all the jobs. They mostly want people with years and years of experience vs. a new grad. Your best bet is to get in with an expansion program thru a local hospital who gives you a job when you obtain your RN and are in a 2-3 year contract. Hope this helps :)

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what do you mean by expansion programs??

i was trying to google it but i was still confuse about the whole concept

can you please elaborate on that? thank you Morgan!!

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what do you mean by expansion programs??

i was trying to google it but i was still confuse about the whole concept

can you please elaborate on that? thank you Morgan!!

Yes, I'm very curious about this as well. As a student, I guess I have to build whatever rapport and connection I can with hospitals before I graduate.

Also, I know that a lot of older nurses are back from retirement and what not, but the way I see it, (whether they intend to or not) at some point they are gonna HAVE to stop working. I think once the economy improves a bit, whoever was originally retired, for the most part, will go back to retirement. My main concern would only be the huge backlog of new grad nurses that have been waiting for jobs for a while now...

2 Off Topic Rants :spbox:

1It seems like health-care-reform for the ridiculously broken system here in America is getting a lot of flack on these forums. I figure if more people have access to health-care, that means more patients which would mean more work, need, and demand for nurses. If this technically puts us under a "socialized-medicine" label, then so be it. I'd rather have socialized-medicine than be stuck in a corrupt, system that is literally either bankrupting everyday citizens, or killing them with financially unattainable care, while insurance companies rake in obscene profits for not holding their end of the deal. :confused:

2 The Job I work for made me read Who Moved My Cheese. I can see and appreciate the book's "don't let change make you give up/adapt to survive" message, but it also seemed like the book was implying to always, blindly take change lying down and never question why changes occur and just accept them without any challenge. :twocents:

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Yes, I think the job market will pick back up. And, nursing is needed everywhere in the world....if you are willing to move out of the US. With the health care reform, yes, we are going to need more nurses. From the hospitals I've seen, they need more nurses now, although the admin is not willing to hire them due to budget constraints. I've already been offered a job as a first semester student for after I graduate, but I don't want to take it.....

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I really don't think it's gonna pick up. IN NY another hospital has closed heard over 500 nurses are out of jobs. Future may be in homecare. But that doesn't mean you won't get a job it's just really hard for everyone now. :mad:

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I would think something's gotta give. Not sure how feasible this is, but I'm thinking if things are still in the crapper by the time I graduate, I may turn to being a traveling-nurse. (Assuming that well isn't dried up either...)

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This is what I mean when I say expansion programs....I am in one at my nursing school and basically what it is....is there are some hospitals that offer programs where they pay for your school or a portion of it in return for a contract to work with that hospital for couple years after you graduate. Mine is awesome! They are paying for my tuition, required books, an educational stipend weekly, a job while in school and all I have to do is work for them after I graduate! Which is good news b/c of the job market for new grads. So you might want to go to some of your local hospital's websites and see if they offer any sort or program like that....

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