Fed Up With People Saying There Is a Shortage

[NewTexasRN]

First, let me say that I am so frustrated because I keep hearing the same old stuff about how there is a nursing shortage and I'm starting to believe that there is no shortage. I live on the east coast and I'm graduating in a few months. Right now my classmates and myself are in a panic because the jobs out here are so competitive and hospitals are closing left and right in NJ. Also, New York is another story. There are so many people who wants to work in the city. Also, hospitals want experienced nurses. It's so frustrating. People need to know that THERE IS NO NURSING shortage in certain parts of the country. I got into this profession thinking that finding a job would be fairly easy and now I'm thinking that I might have made a mistake.

[ToxicShock]

If someone is interested in a wide variety of careers, job availability can be a deciding factor to break a tie. I think that's actually an important thing to think about.

I agree, but I don't think the OP said anything about deciding between two careers.

I got the impression that she went to nursing school because getting a job would be easy. I'm glad she came back to clarify. Going to college and getting into a profession - any profession - JUST for the money or just for job security is stupid. Agree to disagree if you wish.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

While there may not be a shortage in your local area, there certainly is in other parts of the country. I am consistently working shifts with not only sick calls not covered, but not enough people scheduled in the first place. By contract and necessity, at 1900 there should be 13 nurses in the ER. We are usually at 11, and often down to 9 or 10. If the floors are short, I can't send out the admissions, which backs up the ER even more.

My ER accepts new grads! Come on out to New Mexico!

This is such excellent advice. When the hospitals in my area went on hiring freezes and stopped hiring new grads, I really *wigged* out. I got so upset for a few weeks. Ok, so I was almost sick with worry.

Then I decided to stop fighting it and see it as an adventure. Instead of worry, I think to myself: what state will I live in come January, when I'm a new grad with RN after my name? I actually have moments now where I look forward to a new start somewhere. It's exciting!