For all pre-nursing students

[NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN]

It has been noticed that due to mass media and just general word of mouth that there is a HUGE number of people scrambling to get into nursing school any way they can. I just wanted to provide a little information for those of you who are considering it and dismiss some myths that you have probably heard.

However, if nursing is what you really want to do in your heart, this is not meant to discourage you, just to provide a realistic view of the current nursing trends.

#1 There will always be a job for you

This is not necessarily true unless you have the ability to relocate on a whim's notice, even then, no guarantees.

I am a new graduate RN and have many former classmates who live in the bay area of california. They are currently working as LVN's or not at all. Many of them are unable to find jobs, and I know that the bay area is not the only area that has this problem. It has taken me three months of job hunting to obtain employment, and I started searching for a job two months prior to graduation. By the way, it is not my dream job, it's a med-surg night shift every other weekend. I am actually a lucky one.

#2 You can work in a lot of different areas right away

Don't I wish! Some places will hire new graduate RN's in their dream area. But certain state regulations can vary. For example, in California there is a law that states a nurse must have a year of experience to even be hired in hospice. Some facilities require a year or more experience for specialty units. And you will probably be competing against other nurses for those sought-after positions.

Also, all those travel jobs that I know most pre-nursing students google (I know this, I did it too!) are reserved for experienced nurses, usually several years of experience is recommended if not required. You don't want to go onto a floor you're not familiar with and have a patient crash on you and not even know where the crash cart if or what the hospital protocol is.

#3 Nurses make really good money

They make average salary for as long as the schooling takes to complete. Most people who go the traditional route are going to realize that an associate's degree of nursing even takes four years to complete. 2 years prerequisites and applying, then another 2 years of nursing school. Same amount of time as the average bachelor's degree. The salary may be a bit more, but you are giving up your weekends, your nights, the typical mon-fri normal job life. If you plan on having a family, or if you want to take a weekend trip, it's not going to happen that often. The main part of the "shortage" anyway would be hospital med/surg nurses who are willing to work nights/weekends.

Even more so, many do not realize the emotional and physical exhaustion nursing brings. As an LVN, I have had MANY shifts where lunches did not happen, breaks did not happen, and going home and hitting the bed was all I wanted to do. Not every job is like this, but it happens. If your patient is dying it's not like you can leave the bedside to go eat an apple. Nursing school will give you a crash course in how much of a luxury sleep is in nursing.

#4 You can live anywhere (exotic place, whatever)

Each state has different licensing requirements as well as different "needs" for nurses. California right now, many graduates cannot find work. If you had the dream of moving to California after nursing school, it is not likely to happen because many hospitals are refusing to even look at candidates who are not locals, because they are even turning many locals away for jobs.

Also, if you planned on moving to another country, different countries have licensing requirements, and many of their nurses come here because the salary/cost of living ratio is better in many states.

#5 Nursing is a safe job

It is, if you work at an office job. You can get a back injury from lifting heavy patients (yes nurses lift their patients!) An injury from a patient, whether intentional or accidental. I have had a patient grab an insulin syringe from me and attempt to stab me with it. There are many precautions you can take to make the job safer, but the risks are still present.

I'm sure there are more myths out there, this is just a few of the one's that I see all the time. I actually believed them at one point too. Anyway, good luck to those of you out there who really want to be nurses!

[mochabean]

I live in western PA and I've come across plenty of new nurses who were offered jobs before they graduated. Perhaps it's a regional thing. Who knows what it'll be like in a couple years after I graduate.

[yelnikmcwawa]

Many of your points are valid, but many are also generalizations, and most people's life courses take different paths than the generalizations. Nursing jobs are different in every state and even right down to the city. People's drive, life experiences, and future goals also help determine what their current situation will look like, so it's unfair to pigeon hole everyone. My husband is a psychologist and his drive was so high, that he started his own and very suscessful private practice almost right out of his post-doc internship. As a result, he now makes more than the averge "newbie". This is all because he chose a path that is different than what the general population would have chosen. So...my point is that everyone's nursing experience will be different and your own motivations and actions will determine way more than you might think!

[prettyNpurple]

yeah! Im thinking its a regional thing for ya there!

because here in Austin, Texas I see that a lot of hospitals are in need of RN's. Im a PCT at a hospital here and Nurses definitely come to be needed at our facillity...Come to TExas!? hehe yeah TExas should be its own country its got a lot to offer!

[seamel]

I definitely would have to say that I think it is different everywhere.

There are new grads on these boards all the time saying they just got hired, and I know a nurse who just graduated and went into travel nursing. I have actually heard that california is hard to get a job in, but that doesn't mean it's hard everywhere. Seattle (where I am) is on a hiring freeze right now (the hospitals, that is), but when I graduate in 2 years I am sure times will be better, and besides, there's always places besides hospitals that a nurse can work.

I am sorry you are had trouble finding a job- hang in there!

[NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN]

My points were generalizations, I am aware. I guess I was trying to focus on the California nursing student applicants, but they don't seem to be in the California forum much...so I thought posting in here might be appropriate.

It is just so frustrating to see TONs of people show up to nursing information sessions, wanting to be a nurse simply from what they've heard by word of mouth. I have met a lot of pre-nursing students that have idealized what nursing is as far as a career. I just am frustrated with the misinformation they have.

I am one of the lucky one's, I have a few job opportunities, but I know a lot of people who don't. They are LVN's with years of experience and are now new grad RN's who cannot find work and can't readily move because of their house that certainly won't sell in this market.

I am even more frustrated when random people walk up to me and dismiss the job market "oh nurses will always have a job, there's a shortage." It was more of a vent, and I'm sorry to anyone who took offense.

yelnikmcwawa - as far as motivations: if there are no jobs available, one cannot make them appear out of thin air. I do believe that motivation is always a factor, but you cannot soley blame the new grad for being unable to find employment in this economy. It is a combination of factors, and we are all doing the best of our ability.

I wish everyone luck.

[TCM1]

Thank you for being the devil's advocate and showing us an alternative to the hype out there or perhaps the doom and gloom depending on which one people are feeding into these days...

[funkyooster]

#2, I wish!

I guess it's the same with any job to require experience of some sort and/or time period, but it is so much more demanding for the field of nursing!

and #5!

I haven't even begun working and my back aches already from all the clinical hours at the hospitals!

and may I add, my hands are already rough as sandpaper.

[NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN]

I just remember one of the nursing information sessions I went to (I was in charge of checking up on all the physical/health requirements for nursing students) and I would see a lot of students saying "i'm going to be an L & D nurse and go travel nursing to italy" and "I will work three 12's tue-thur so I can have my weekends off." Things like that...then added to that is the entire "oh it's easy for nurses to find work anywhere" (that's here in california, i'm hearing it all the time)

There's only so much misinformation one can take...

: P

[smellyacres, BSN, RN]

Well the truth is, there is NOT a nursing shortage in many areas of California theses days. The only guarunteed jobs you could find is probably in Central California, and there is a reason no one wants to live there...

Besides, most of the generalizations you made are for NEW graduate students. Once you have a couple years experience, it will be much easier to find a job, and there WILL be jobs available for you, and there will be decent pay.

Plus, I agree, you should be passionate about your job (it sounds like you don't particularly like being a nurse). People should know what they're getting into before they get a degree in a career they know nothing about, because they might end up end up not liking it.

But I think when a lot of people say "well, at least you will always have a job" it is meant more like "there will always be a job out there for you, and you will always have that valuable degree", not necessarily that jobs will come super easy right away. And they are usually saying that with the consideration that once you DO have some experience, you will pretty much always be able to find a job. You may have to hunt, especially in the bay area (not a good place to be a new grad).

Your time will come.

[smellyacres, BSN, RN]

Plus, the major factor here is the economy. People have been saying nurses can find jobs anywhere for so long, I think they've just kept saying it without realizing that jobs are suffering everywhere.

[freesia29, ASN, RN]

Thank you for your post.....I admit the only one that scares me is the back issue. And it is making me hesitate about going to nursing school. But if I don't go and at least try....I don't know what else I want to do. So, I am going for it...and doing all I can to make sure my back is strong .....and try to seek out an avenue that wouldn't require as much lifting as RN's in a hospital.

Our local hospital is screaming for RN's and CNA's on every floor.....so if anyone is looking to move to Bellingham, WA!!

Thanks and have a great evening!

Natascha