Everyone seems to be turning to nursing. I remember way back when (5 years ago) when nursing was a calling. There were still other jobs a person could do and make a living--like heating and air conditioning. Now nursing is a lifeboat--a recesion-proof job that anyone and everyone is considering.
I see post after post in here of people who have no experience, no particular desire, and no particular aptitude for nursing inquiring about nursing as a job. They need something to pay the bills. I just went to a restaurant tonight, and two of our waiters are starting nursing school.
Let's face it, with the coming depression, nursing wages are attractive. So here's a prediction, please tell me if you agree or disagree:
Nursing boards will start requiring a 4-year degree to sit for the NCLEX.
The Nursing shortage is going to end in about 3 years; in five there will be a glut of nurses and getting a job will be about like getting a job as an NP is now.
Travel agencies will cease to exist and agency nursing will go the way of the way of the dinosaur.
Without unions, hospitals will force nurses to take about 14 patients a shift and will simply fire those who won't do it.
Yes, I agree with the previous poster. We currently have a ton of people interested in/just starting really large nursing programs. The problem, however, is that many of those people will never make it through the program. My nursing class started with 60 students, and by graduation, we only had around 18 original classmates left. Now fast forward... of those that do graduate and land jobs, some will only work a short time before they realize how much work is involved and end up quitting - or quit for other reaons. Add to that the aging population and the increase in people needing hospital care, you still have a nursing shortgage. Statistics have continually said that we will have a shortage for at LEAST the next 20 years. Nurses have job security, options, and good pay. But with that comes being overworked, exhausted, and usually stressed out.
I went back and have experienced both the past and relatively recent present. You are right, not much difference now as then. It's still true, those who can do, those who can't teach. Those who can't teach, manage. Those who can't manage, join survey teams.
. I want everyone to understand that I have the greatest respect for teachers, managers and survey team members.
Yes. Many of us have. Many of us started as LPNs and went back years later to become RNs, or started as ADN or Diploma RNs and later went for BSNs.
I have a relative who has taught nursing school for over 29 years. She frequently tells me that schools are under increasing pressure to lower standards, and that she is very dishearted at the caliber of some of the people who are allowed in the programs now.
There are also an abundence of new "quickie" nursing programs.
Additionally, it used to be, you had three chances to pass the NCLEX, and if you didn't, you had to repeat your nursing program, or give up on nursing. Now, test-takers can fail mutiple times, with seemingly no limit.
The school can lower their admitting standards, but the standards to be a nurse are set by someone else. If a school lowers their graduating standards and as a result their NCLEX pass rate is consistantly too low, the state will put them an probation until it is raised or they lose their accreditation. Some schools (especialy some private schools) will lower their admitting standards knowing that many of the students will not make it to the NCLEX so the school score is safe and they still made money off the students. The school I went to has an nclex pass rate well over 90% but what they didnt tell us was that, on average, 10 to 14 people (out of 30 to 35) graduate per class. They have low admit standards but high graduation standards. I am happy to say I was one that made it.
The truth is I wasn't in nursing "back in the day" and have no personal point of reference to judge from. I have heard other nurses say standards are slipping so in a few years I may find out that is the case! (I really hope not!)
Specializes in med surg, geriatric, clinical, pool.
I am an LPN. I took my RN pre-reqs some 15 yrs. ago. I have thought about going back into nursing to work, not to school, but I haven't worked since 2001.
Any thoughts from any of you? You are right. My husband's work is down to zero! I quit nursing to help him, now it looks like I might have to go back into nursing. Tell you the truth I don't really want to because now I know exactly what goes on in the nursing world and to look back on my experiences, there ain't that many good ones.
I guess I would get back in the swing of things, just wonder how long it would take.
I did do agency nursing for years and I loved it. NO politics!
One thing that seems to have ben missed in this discussion is human nature. People have written about the baby-boomers getting old(er) and needing more care therefore more nurses. What I think has been missed is the fact that there are more co-morbidities all of the time caused by diet, drugs, inactivity amongst other things. From what I have seen these are more prevalent in the lower socio-economic groups, (is it an educational issue?), so my theory is: the worse a recession the greater number of people who become disenfranchised and fall through the cracks. Further because they lack money they will wait it out before seeing a Dr, by then they will need nurses...lots of them.
If that doesn't convince everyone thyink about todays society, individuals are not stupid but put them in a group and they will reinforce my faith in human stupidity by doing those things that put them under the care of....you guessed it, us nurses.
Here in the Philippines. You'd be extremely lucky to get hired in a hospital within the year your applied =/ I've been having the same problem with hiring. Thing is I don't really want to work abroad, I want to get in the hospital, work and then enter the academe and teach nursing :) however without hospital exp, I might as well tell my supposed to be students to just read up and be ready for a quiz the next day =x
Possible. Economics rule - if RNs cost too much, then LPNs will get more of the work. Laws will change to support this because if a job requires and RN and there is no RN then the client can not be taken on, which means a loss of revenue.
The school can lower their admitting standards, but the standards to be a nurse are set by someone else. If a school lowers their graduating standards and as a result their NCLEX pass rate is consistantly too low, the state will put them an probation until it is raised or they lose their accreditation. Some schools (especialy some private schools) will lower their admitting standards knowing that many of the students will not make it to the NCLEX so the school score is safe and they still made money off the students. The school I went to has an nclex pass rate well over 90% but what they didnt tell us was that, on average, 10 to 14 people (out of 30 to 35) graduate per class. They have low admit standards but high graduation standards. I am happy to say I was one that made it.
The truth is I wasn't in nursing "back in the day" and have no personal point of reference to judge from. I have heard other nurses say standards are slipping so in a few years I may find out that is the case! (I really hope not!)
Yes, the majority of new grads can pass the NCLEX, but many new grads are lacking in clinical skiils. Before I graduated, I had done so many foleys, IVs, sterile dressings, trach care, tube feeds and so on that I was pretty much proficeint when I started my first job. A lot of new grads these days come out of school never having done these things.
Yes, the majority of new grads can pass the NCLEX, but many new grads are lacking in clinical skiils. Before I graduated, I had done so many foleys, IVs, sterile dressings, trach care, tube feeds and so on that I was pretty much proficeint when I started my first job. A lot of new grads these days come out of school never having done these things.
I have been away from these boards for a while. And just came back. The problem I have with your post Valerie is that I honestly believe that it really depends on your program and where you do your clinicals at.
Specializes in ER, Med Surg, Geriatric, Nursing Agency.
Hi Brian,
I think the Travel Nursing Agencies will go first and the small Mom & Pop Home Care Agencies will out last the corporate agencies. The nursing shortage will go away as many or the baby boomers will go back to work part time and this will keep hospital costs down with benefits like health care.
uscstu4lfe
467 Posts
Yes, I agree with the previous poster. We currently have a ton of people interested in/just starting really large nursing programs. The problem, however, is that many of those people will never make it through the program. My nursing class started with 60 students, and by graduation, we only had around 18 original classmates left. Now fast forward... of those that do graduate and land jobs, some will only work a short time before they realize how much work is involved and end up quitting - or quit for other reaons. Add to that the aging population and the increase in people needing hospital care, you still have a nursing shortgage. Statistics have continually said that we will have a shortage for at LEAST the next 20 years. Nurses have job security, options, and good pay. But with that comes being overworked, exhausted, and usually stressed out.