Has nursing always been this competitive?

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well, I'll be 21 in a month and looking to jump into the nursing field.. maybe. Ideally, I was thinking lpn-rn but after reading a number of posts, threads, and articles on the ADN/BSN debate & the "shortage" of nurses, I've started to think twice. After reading that many grads are still desperately searching for employment, and having the BSN possibly be the new standard, I feel like I'm at the bottom of the river trying to swim upstream. There's so much competition just getting into a nursing program.. well atleast at my local cc (twin cities), since they are constantly flooding with applicants. It's a shame that society doesn't give more respect to you underrated nurses and all the hard work you had and have to go through.. Anyway, I just don't know if this is a road worth taking.. I've always enjoyed helping/pleasing others and maybe that's my problem; I'm trying to save someone else before I can save myself. Ah it's just tough though, seeing friends and old classmates wrapping up college, and getting internships or jobs. wow I love being envious, it's great. I guess this is more of a pathetic blog rather than a discussion. so yeah, I guess I'm just venting.. Well, let me know if you have any advice for a person on the fence! LOVE

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Specializes in ER.

You know what? The economy is cyclical. You have an entire lifetime to think about. Would you kick yourself if it picks up next year? Would you be sorry if the economy was roaring away and you got laid off as a nurse?

No?

then full speed ahead.

The programs are hard to get into in a lot of places and there are not too many jobs right now. Everything else follows passion. Do what you do.

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Specializes in Birth center, LDRP, L&D, PP, nursing education.

Now I entered into school with a Bachelor's to MSN program in 2006. Graduated in 2008 and worked on a pulmonary icu stepdown floor for a year. Now I'm orienting in L&D. COllectively, I've loved a lot of it. It's fantastic. Somedays, I wonder if I'm cut out to be a nurse, but for the most part, I feel like I've found my calling.

But you got to really want it. Getting in is a PITA, getting prereqs done takes effort. Clinicals are early and long and the papers you have to write after are time consuming. Then getting a job as a new grad takes pavement pounding. The first year is so difficult and you feel like your learning so much your head could explode.

Nursing is an incredibly rewarding field, but I really feel that you gotta want it to make it.

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You know what? The economy is cyclical. You have an entire lifetime to think about. Would you kick yourself if it picks up next year? Would you be sorry if the economy was roaring away and you got laid off as a nurse?

No?

then full speed ahead.

The programs are hard to get into in a lot of places and there are not too many jobs right now. Everything else follows passion. Do what you do.

Yep - the economy is cyclical and also there isn't a discussion board devoted to any profession where you won't find the same vent threads. Believe it or not I read the same-o stories posted by IT professionals during the late 90s ... i.e. the height of the dot com boom when everybody who knew how to use a computer was getting mugged by recruiters on campus and having oodles of money and stock options just thrown at them - right?? Wrong!! Some people were pulling their hair out trying to find the right job even back then.

Yes, the economy is in a down cycle right now, but keep in mind job hunting is stressful in any economy. So if you want to be a nurse then go for it. If you decide to go another way - that's fine but don't decide against nursing just because you've been reading about stressed out job hunters.

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If its what you want to do, go for it.. quite honestly, Im glad I found this site after I got into nursing school...this site can really scare you.. but you know what? If you work hard, it will pay off... good luck.

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Nursing Programs are extremely competitive. Though with good reason. It is an overwhelmingly stressful job, and all too often many people get their ideas about nursing from television shows. But in the real world, codes aren't performed by cool and collected doctors and nurses who don't get one hair out of place, and nurses don't sit around chatting about how dreamy dr. mcdreamy is. It is a difficult job requiring a lot of technical knowledge and education to perform. Many people don't realize the amount of time you have to put into becoming a nurse and fail out of programs within the first semester. Others go through entire programs, obtain their degree and pass their boards only to go into another field altogether. I have talked with more than a few people who did this, having decided they couldn't deal with the stress. The point I guess is, you really have to want it, just like any other profession or career. Nursing Programs do their best to weed out those they think will not cut it, or are in it for the paycheck. So many times it seems program directors are making you jump through hoops in order to get placement. They too want to be sure that you are in it because you want it. My suggestion to you is to get certified as a nurse assistant first. Many states if not all, now require one year of clinical experience as a CNA before you are elligible to apply for a nursing program. As this area of nursing is always looking for good people, you would have a foot in the door so to speak, and it will give you a clearer picture of the nursing profession. Then you could decide if its really the right job for you.

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Thanks everyone! your absolutely right... Got a lotta thinkin' to do. Much much appreciated!

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