Full time jobs hard to find ?

Glad to see this post.  
cancer is one disease that I think effects nearly everyone.  Everyone knows someone whose had it. The families suffer along with the patient.  
And you are right many of them do recover and sometimes they have multiple bouts with cancer.  I know someone who beat it 3 times.  
 

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

My experience in nursing is that there are many jobs, and you will never be out of work or have a hard time finding benefitted full time positions, but there are few *good* jobs. At 50, you know yourself better than a young person and have more social connections which speaks to your ability to get one of the good jobs. Also, it seems like you want to help people rather than having a strong need to be in one of the more prestigious areas of nursing, which will help you sniff out a truly good job and not get snagged by the fact that its ICU or whatever the cool kids are doing right now.

I went into nursing later in life specifically wanting to work in psych-- not prestigious. I put up with some of the crap others have mentioned in the hospital; over documenting, being nitpicked, etc, but I did enjoy working with my patients. I moved over to an ACT team, which is community psych, and got to spend a lot more time with my patients and got to experience some of my romanticized view. No regrets whatsoever. We romantics often do well in this field if we find the right job.

Now I am sick of being furloughed and also tired of administration and ready to move to something different, thinking about education or leadership even though my original goal was NP.

You will find a full time benefitted job. That will not be your problem. Good luck. 

 

I’m 45 and have only 2 years experience, in acute care and one in critical care. I think I can speak for both of us and say we aren’t elderly and we are physically able to handle med surg, acute care, critical care. I know there’s a lot of nurses our age who end up sitting in management jobs and make the rest of us look like we can’t handle it but let me tell you, I run harder and faster than the younger nurses, maybe because I feel I have to prove something IDK, but when I get on the elevator with my way younger colleagues to go home we are all wishing we had a hot bath and ibuprofen no matter the age, we are all in pain at the end of the shift. 50 is the new 30 don’t let the age deter you into what you choose. I’ve not had any issues getting jobs I think I’m young, I feel I’m young I portray I’m young. I even convince myself! Do what you feel passionate about d you’ll be fine. I have no plans on becoming a desk nurse any time in my career. I live in Atl and they are furloughing nurses and pay cuts. I never thought   I’d see this day, just keep trying this will pass. 

I would have to agree with those respondents who feel that you could handle a full time nursing position as an age 50 plus new grad.......but that's not really what you asked.

I entered nursing 30 years ago at age 42 when the energy industry collapsed taking virtually all of the local accounting/administrative positions along with it. But fortunately there was a genuine, far reaching nursing shortage in progress of the sort I've never seen since. (This wasn't a "projected" need for nurses based on demographics etc., it was the real deal. When I graduated there were available positions in every region of the country, on every shift and in every specialty and the training for a new grad was extensive.)

But you on the other hand would be voluntarily leaving an established career in an established position where typically your earnings should be peaking. We now have unprecedented levels of unemployment as you are no doubt aware. And then there is the health care industry/ nursing profession environment: Nationally hospitals, nursing home and assisted living companies have been consolidating for many years now and many health care entities have been taken over by private entity firms and with all of that comes the expectations of increased profits and growth.

**So will you have a hard time finding a full time job with benefits? There aren't any here. All of our "big players" have frozen hiring, frozen merit raises, stopped retirement plan contributions, instituted furloughs, reduced paid time off and other benefits and they are doing the same wherever they have a presence. Further,  when I retired a few months ago I was in a position to know that significant layoffs were already planned long before the coronavirus pandemic was identified as the catastrophe it's become. 

I'm admittedly a pretty conservative guy and I also don't know your overall resources. Maybe you're already all set for retirement etc. But that said, I'd be very cautious about making any major changes in these uncertain times.

 

[Silver_Rik, ASN, RN]

I graduated last December at 52 and got an interview and offer from the first job I applied to - full time with great benefits and schedule.  I think all of my class got jobs, many before graduation.

- great orientation / internship program 

- I worked as a nurse aide through school.  In LTC and psych.  It meant a pay cut, and I am very blessed to have a wife with a great job.

- I used prior experience outside healthcare, including operating my own business for 16 years, to advantage.  This may or may not be a positive depending on who interviews you.  

- it's at a large (900+ bed) academic medical center

This was December / January and I started mid February 

Since Covid19

- raises promised earlier this year, canceled 

- 403b match, cut in half 

- hiring freeze 

- furloughs 

Some of this is easing and no increases in our insurance  premiums; but the pay freeze and cut in retirement contribution will be for a year (at least.)

For the next several years I am concerned that we will see pressure on wages with reduced or canceled raises.  Otherwise, I'm very glad to be where I am and feel I absolutely made the right decision to go to become an RN.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the feedback. It's a little discouraging reading all the negative comments. You may be too new to experience the frustration others have posted, but it's good to see a new grad have a positive experience getting hired.

I am able to relocate if needed, so that's good and preferable. I'd love to get out of where I am, just too expensive. 
I do worry about putting up with all the BS from administration from what I'm reading. 

On 5/26/2020 at 1:08 PM, Silver_Rik said:

I graduated last December at 52 and got an interview and offer from the first job I applied to - full time with great benefits and schedule.  I think all of my class got jobs, many before graduation.

- great orientation / internship program 

- I worked as a nurse aide through school.  In LTC and psych.  It meant a pay cut, and I am very blessed to have a wife with a great job.

- I used prior experience outside healthcare, including operating my own business for 16 years, to advantage.  This may or may not be a positive depending on who interviews you.  

- it's at a large (900+ bed) academic medical center

This was December / January and I started mid February 

Since Covid19

- raises promised earlier this year, canceled 

- 403b match, cut in half 

- hiring freeze 

- furloughs 

Some of this is easing and no increases in our insurance  premiums; but the pay freeze and cut in retirement contribution will be for a year (at least.)

For the next several years I am concerned that we will see pressure on wages with reduced or canceled raises.  Otherwise, I'm very glad to be where I am and feel I absolutely made the right decision to go to become an RN.

 

Just curious as to where you are located. 
Right now where I live there is a big university hospital. I'm not looking to stay around here though.  MY goal is to go to a better cost of living area