Full Time Work Nursing Positions - Fact or Fiction -2013?

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Hello,

As a recently unemployed 45 year old single woman, I am looking at a career change. It seems all we hear in the media is how short the nursing profession is and the upcoming demand. In reading through these posts, though, it seems that new grads can't get jobs, sounds like there may be a real "nurses eating their young" epidemic (possibly, job insecurity? - bullying) and if you want to live in a city such as Calgary or Edmonton, it is going to be difficult to find a position full time.

I think that nursing can be a great career because you are helping people that are truly in need...I worked in construction for 11 years and I can honestly say that the amount of drama I heard from people when things didn't go as planned (heat drops in their basement for example) made me a little sick to my stomach. I guess I can understand or at least I hope that I would be more sympathetic to people when it involves something as crucial as their health. I also think it has some real diversity in the field and once again, after being "restructured" out of a job, job security would be an asset...or at least a union.

Anyhow, I am very green and possibly naive so I am looking to you for some experienced guidance. Please share with me, as I am considering investing a substantial amount of time and resources in the after degree nursing program at the U of A and need some real world advise from people that are in the profession.

Thanks!

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Some new grads find full time lines in around a year. But they are willing to work on medicine units or LTC.

The U? Some people love it others hate it.

The students that have come to units that I've worked on have not always been the best prepared to face the realities of floor nursing. They don't understand that they are required to do the "dirty" work, that they can't delegate away the jobs they don't like.

There a lot of part time nurses and casuals who want either permanent lines or an increase in hours.

Nobody has a crystal ball to see what the world will look like 2015 but with financial cut backs, I really don't see AHS creating loads of full time new jobs. They might get around to increasing some of the .5s to .8s but I'm not holding my breath.

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Specializes in AC, LTC, Community, Northern Nursing.

It truly depends wherenu work.. In toronto they have like 8 schools in the area putting out grads every year.. I hear there is a lot of ppl looking for jobs.. But in my area we r screaming for nirses but ppl dont want to come to a northern isolated community.. The jobs are probably out there but u may have to move..

Btw pls excuse any typos as i have fat fingers and typing on my phone.. :)

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Specializes in General Internal Medicine, ICU.

I graduated in June 2011 from Vancouver, and I was unable to find a job in BC. So I moved to Alberta in Sept 2011 when I landed a full time job offer. That full time job offer was in a remote rural town that's 3 hours drive from Edmonton. I stuck it out for about a year, and I got really lucky when I was job hunting again last June. I got offers from all three interviews I had-one in Grande Prairie, one in Edmonton and one with the new hospital in Calgary. They were all for full time offers. I am currently working in Edmonton (because they called me back with an offer first, so I said yes.), in a medicine unit. There are full time jobs, but sometimes it takes a bit of work, luck and being at the right time at the right place. Most likely, you will have to start off working in undesired places and positions for the full time lines, and slowly move your way up.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

AB is presently cutting nursing positions and health care in general. Yes, there is always a need for more nurses and everywhere is short. However, the government does not want to provide the funding that's required. We've been in the midst of a global recession since the tail end of 2007, so jobs are not abundant in any field. However, nurses are starting to retire, and this trend will continue. Many nurses do not want to work full time, so you could be hired into a casual line somewhere and get close to full time hours. Just be prepared that you may not get your first choice of job, and you may even need to relocate, but the jobs are there....somewhere.

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Fiona-most students are unprepared. The stat seems a little high. I was such a dummy. Op I went to school with grandmothers in thier late 50's. You can always start with the LPN and see if you like it

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Specializes in Home Care.

Knowing now what I didn't know then.....

With so many job opportunities in oil & gas I'd be looking that way for a new career. I'd find a 2 year program at NAIT or SAIT.

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Specializes in MPH Student Fall/14, Emergency, Research.

Honestly, by the time you get through your program, the game will probably change re: job opportunities. When I entered nursing school it was at the peak of the boom and hospitals all over Canada/the US were paying recruitment bonuses. Halfway through, the recession happened and there were no jobs at all. Now that I'm a year out, the government says "we need full time nurses!" (but won't post the positions)

What will they say in a year from now?

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Fiona-most students are unprepared. The stat seems a little high. I was such a dummy. Op I went to school with grandmothers in thier late 50's. You can always start with the LPN and see if you like it

I didn't quote any statistics!

LPN in AB is two years full time. So OP would be better off doing the after degree.

But honestly, I'd do health records administration or like juli said go oil and gas.

But there are just as many unhappy healthcare consumers out there as there are in the OPs original field. I'd say we have more. Every family member knows how to do our job better than we do. Nursing gets the grunt work. Housekeeping leaves the units by 1515, bed team only does discharges, deepclean team only deep cleans, who gets to deal with the floods, spills, filthy floors? Nursing. Pharmacy closes at 2230, guess who hunts the hospital night locker for drugs or makes up their own IV meds? Nursing. Kitchen screwed up the trays? Nursing gets to sort it out. Wait time in Emerg for a bed, nursing hears all about it when the patient and their posse arrives.

Yup, Health Records Technician looks mighty fine. Own cubicle, no body fluids, no family members, breaks on time....

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Honestly, by the time you get through your program, the game will probably change re: job opportunities. When I entered nursing school it was at the peak of the boom and hospitals all over Canada/the US were paying recruitment bonuses. Halfway through, the recession happened and there were no jobs at all. Now that I'm a year out, the government says "we need full time nurses!" (but won't post the positions)

What will they say in a year from now?

Sorry i was just scrolling.....I love your profile name! Lol. That was a good idea! We need more nurses who ride :)

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I was just kidding Fiona, humor never seems to turn out online

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I was just kidding Fiona, humor never seems to turn out online

All's good. I'm just tired of getting blamed for things I never typed!

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