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.
This is the thing: when the economy was good and there was a nursing shortage, nursing schools began to tool up and take advantage of the influx of students. Now, should the economy decline in 2009, there will be all kinds of people wanting to be nurses that didn't want to be nurses before. The nursing schools that have ramped up will churn out nurses that there will no longer be jobs for. They will keep telling people there is a nursing shortage, and that will attract applicants and they will get their degrees and licenses, but then there won't be any work, and too many to do the work there is.
Flightline, I noticed that you live on the Gulf Coast. I'm in the NW Florida area and due to this forum I've really begun wondering how things are in my area due to the economy when it comes to nursing. I really want to be a nurse and no matter what I know this is what I want to go into. It sounds cliche' but for me it truly is something that I feel "called" to do. In my area there are about 4 schools close by with nursing programs, maybe even more. I also have noticed that it seems like everybody wants to be a nurse now days. If you are in the same area as I am is it really that bad here? Do you think there's hope for me to find a job at one of the local hospitals in the next couple of years? Two of the hospitals are merging, I am wondering if that will make it even worse for the lack of nursing jobs. I am one of those who can't just pack up in move so this is it for me.
Well thanks for any insight that you can give.
Sorry I'm so late with a reply. I wasn't following this post as closely.
We live in a similar area, but I think your area is better. Florida has more and larger hospitals than my area. Put in your application and interview with the same enthusiasm you showed in the above post, and you should be fine. There will always be nursing positions for those who are "called" to nursing. I guarantee that.
But you should be looking at doing cna work or tech work at the hospital where you want to work, or for that matter housekeeping. Anything at all. Working during nursing school is hard, but a prn position might let you work a minimal amount. I only worked one weekend a month or something like that, and then I would work full time on semester breaks, or on the summer break.
If you have a couple of years, you have enough time to become a darling child to that hospital. And how do you do that? Be a tech or cna and actually work hard when you're at work, ask the nurses humble questions and thank them for their answers, and actually act like you want to be caring for the patients. Be at the nurses beck and call as much as you can be. And have a positive attitude. You do that, and they will hold any position they have for you, and they will have positions coming up regularly. All hospitals do. It's just that there will be lots of applicants for that position. But that won't matter in your case. That's my advice anyway. It was good advice for me; I hope it is for you, too.
Content and quality. Do you have a PhD in English, by the way? What in the world is this content and quality garbage. Yes, I am a R.N. and I wonder if you are by the way. Painting with broad strokes, do you have a PhD in the arts? Try talking like a nurse by God ,and cut the garbage content, quality,painting with a broad stroke mumbo jumbo. What's next, are you checking for spelling by the way? Don't make a fool of yourself.
I have worked in small hospitals where LPN's precepted new R.N.s on the floor. They taught me well. I of course had to be checked off by R.N.s on many things because LPNs were unable to do that.
Anything else you want to correct me on Teach? My how a little bit of knowledge simply goes to one's head. Remember, you are a nurse, not God, and quit with the God Complex.
Content and quality. Do you have a PhD in English, by the way? What in the world is this content and quality garbage. Yes, I am a R.N. and I wonder if you are by the way. Painting with broad strokes, do you have a PhD in the arts? Try talking like a nurse by God ,and cut the garbage content, quality,painting with a broad stroke mumbo jumbo. What's next, are you checking for spelling by the way? Don't make a fool of yourself.
I have worked in small hospitals where LPN's precepted new R.N.s on the floor. They taught me well. I of course had to be checked off by R.N.s on many things because LPNs were unable to do that.
Anything else you want to correct me on Teach? My how a little bit of knowledge simply goes to one's head. Remember, you are a nurse, not God, and quit with the God Complex.
Sorry, Oakbourne, but you soud pretty hostile to me. If you post something harsh like LPNs are better than RNs, I think Salva's response was pretty tame. I agree with her, you don't sound like an RN based on your posting.
Sorry I'm so late with a reply. I wasn't following this post as closely.
We live in a similar area, but I think your area is better. Florida has more and larger hospitals than my area. Put in your application and interview with the same enthusiasm you showed in the above post, and you should be fine. There will always be nursing positions for those who are "called" to nursing. I guarantee that.
But you should be looking at doing cna work or tech work at the hospital where you want to work, or for that matter housekeeping. Anything at all. Working during nursing school is hard, but a prn position might let you work a minimal amount. I only worked one weekend a month or something like that, and then I would work full time on semester breaks, or on the summer break.
If you have a couple of years, you have enough time to become a darling child to that hospital. And how do you do that? Be a tech or cna and actually work hard when you're at work, ask the nurses humble questions and thank them for their answers, and actually act like you want to be caring for the patients. Be at the nurses beck and call as much as you can be. And have a positive attitude. You do that, and they will hold any position they have for you, and they will have positions coming up regularly. All hospitals do. It's just that there will be lots of applicants for that position. But that won't matter in your case. That's my advice anyway. It was good advice for me; I hope it is for you, too.
Thanks flightline! I appreciate the advise. I was thinking about doing that as well. I know the area hospitals will hire techs as "nurse interns" after I'm in the program for a semester, so hopefully that will work out for me.
Did you have to cut down Associate of Science Nurses. That's a low blow.
Many ASN nurses make bette nurses than BSN. Don't start gloating because you have a BSN, or the enemies on the flloor will give you hell.
As for LPN, they know more on the floor than a R. N. Their skills are above par and a BSN is so involved in theory that many can't start an IV, insert a Foley Cath, or put down an NG tube. You are stepping on a lot of toes here, and hurting many people by your statement
Oakburn, I am not even a nurse yet, but I am working toward my A.S. degree as an RN. I was not offended at all by Otessa's comment. All she was saying was that she was glad to have gotten her BSN because it has opened more doors for her. You are quite defensive about this and it makes me wonder if there are maybe some insecurities you are feeling about having a lesser degree, otherwise you wouldn't be so offended by her post. If you are insecure about your education, go back to school and get the BSN yourself instead of putting down others who put the extra effort in to get theirs. I know you like the idea about LPN's being better nurses and knowing more than nurses with higher degree's but I just don't see how having MORE education makes the LPN a better nurse than you. I plan on going farther with my degree in the future because it WILL open more doors for me. Nothing against LPN's at all, I know LPN's who are great nurses (my mom was one), but having a higher education IS going to give you more opportunity whether you like it or not.
fortunately for all nurses out there, the nursing shortage will NEVER end. hooray for us! if you look around on hospital websites, you're most likely to see that they are hiring RNs, and very little other support staff! hooray hooray hooray!!
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
I'm a bit confused: what is the scope of practice for an LPN. For instance, can they do independent nursing assessments without an RN? If so, then at least in a LTC facility, there would be no need for an RN, because there are no advanced IV medications being given. Yes/No?
in LTC facilities, LPN's are the charge nurse on their unit....there must be one RN in the building for 8 hrs. out of q24...yes, LPN's do independant assessing of their pts....in some LTC facilities there are IV's in use and the LPN can take care of that.....only IV push meds must be given by RN's...
(at least that is how it worked many years ago when I worked LTC)
if I am wrong, please correct me....if things have changed....
Content and quality. Do you have a PhD in English, by the way? What in the world is this content and quality garbage. Yes, I am a R.N. and I wonder if you are by the way. Painting with broad strokes, do you have a PhD in the arts? Try talking like a nurse by God ,and cut the garbage content, quality,painting with a broad stroke mumbo jumbo. What's next, are you checking for spelling by the way? Don't make a fool of yourself.
I have worked in small hospitals where LPN's precepted new R.N.s on the floor. They taught me well. I of course had to be checked off by R.N.s on many things because LPNs were unable to do that.
Anything else you want to correct me on Teach? My how a little bit of knowledge simply goes to one's head. Remember, you are a nurse, not God, and quit with the God Complex.
I think it would be best for you guys to do private messages and talk this out yourselves. The title of this thread is "End of the Nursing Shortage". While I understand the frustration from offensive comments on either end, this site has a lot of this stuff going on. It does nothing for me except give me a bad feeling and ruin the whole experience here. That, and helps me to understand why nursing can get so screwed up-the professionalism and respect for different opinions just isn't there sometimes. We then get so stuck on our own personal issues that we miss the topic, in this case, the discussion of the possible end of a nursing shortage.
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
fortunately for all nurses out there, the nursing shortage will NEVER end. hooray for us! if you look around on hospital websites, you're most likely to see that they are hiring RNs, and very little other support staff! hooray hooray hooray!!
You cannot always be sure that these sites are accurate....in my town hospital there are numerous vacancies listed on site....but the hospital has a freeze on and is not hiring....
Specializes in med surg, geriatric, clinical, pool.
I was IV certified as an LPN, and worked as charge of my LTC unit on nocs. There was an RN who was charge of her unit in another building, if I needed something only an RN could do, or needed her opinion on anything.
Some states (KS is one) only require an RN on site 40 hrs a week in LTC. In these facilities, LPNs are usually charge, and one LPN may be the only licensed person in a facility on nocs.
In some LTC facilities, LPNs are DONs, and have managerial authority over staff RNs, although they are still under the RN clinically.
I do not agree with an LPN being given any kind of power or authority over an RN under any circumstances.
When I was an LPN, I did train/precept RNs on occasion- a few of which who were inept. However, it was the Clinical Manager (an RN) who ultimately had authority over both of us.
I worked on a subacute floor and I was the only LPN working and sometimes when the head RN was sick they made me take charge, which I didn't like because I had nothing but RNs under me. I even asked to be put back on the floor to work and my supervisor said I was better than most of his RNs, I was pretty good, but my pay status didn't change which I thought was kinda cheap.
But no, LPNs can't do everything, like giving Lasix IV push, dress ports, which I did take training for but they didn't like me doing it.
Valerie Salva, BSN, RN
1,793 Posts
I totally agree.