I've been considering an Accelerated BSN degree for some time now (and eventually after two years a masters in family nurse practitioner) and have been doing a lot of research into the nursing career. I really don't want to jump into a career that I will regret later on, especially one that I will have to take out a loan for. I keep running into two views and I want to know honestly which one is the truth, especially for nursing in NY since that's where I live:
1) Is this shortage of nurses true? More importantly, is it very difficult for someone new to nursing to get an entry level job? I keep looking up at job postings and every single posting requires at least a year of experience.
2) Is the saying that "nurses are overworked and underpaid" true? Is the career of nursing THAT draining that burnout is common?
3) How good is the pay?
4) I think asking this in a nursing forum makes no sense but i'll ask it anyway: Do you believe its worth it to become a nurse? Would you do it again if you were told you'd become 18 again and be able to choose any career you wanted?
I try to stay positive about nursing as a possible career but I keep thinking that i'm being blinded by the hype ("nursing is booming and pays good") and need an honesty "splash". I'm also considering other allied health positions because of this constant nagging negative views I read from time to time ("there is no boom, pay is mediocre, work is killer"). Please, could anyone provide me some honest facts.
Kelly and JR, you guys are right. There are other options but i guess since u always see murders in hospitals doing what most people consider "usal fare nursing" you might think that's the only option. It seems like a BSN is useful for a variety of things depending on the kind of person u are. Thank u both.
Kelly and JR, you guys are right. There are other options but i guess since u always see murders in hospitals doing what most people consider "usal fare nursing" you might think that's the only option. It seems like a BSN is useful for a variety of things depending on the kind of person u are. Thank u both.
Just in the last couple weeks there was a man who committed murder-suicide on his wife in an ICU and a veteran shot a doctor at a VA medical center. These were both national news stories.
I take everything said online and in person with a bit of detachment. Everything I have been told about the field has been somewhat off in terms of the truth. When I didn't get a high score on the HESI (I got like an 820 the second time around) they told me I wouldn't pass the NCLEX and shouldn't be allowed to graduate. Well they let me graduate and I passed the NCLEX the FIRST time around. Then when I quit the hospital I was working at as a nursing student because I wasn't happy there they said getting a job as a new grad would be difficult. I landed a job in a facility before I even passed the NCLEX, it had better staffing, better support, a better residency, and even paid more. It also had more growth opportunity. My resume looks beautiful now. If I could go back to age 18 I think I would pursue this career but i would focus more. Nursing offers me what I want: flexibility, a skill, the opportunity for payment and travel, less work days a week. That's it! That's all I wanted out of a career and I got it. There's a few things I'd like to adjust like working closer to home (a 1 hour commute is a lot for me) and having less involvement in politics, less time spent at one job at the moment would be nice. But...I'm working on it.
So to answer your question:
I think it's up to you what you do and how you do it. Be willing to take risks. Nurses CAN be underpaid and overworked but it depends on where you work and how you feel about the work you do. Personally, I'm comfortable with my pay, but I know that if I move around and keep seeking growth opportunities that I could be paid more for less stress and more freedom.
Nurses can get burnt out. This job can be really stressful. But in my personal opinion, it's who you work with (the doctors, management, coworkers, allied health, patients) that can fuel the stress. So find a group you can work well enough. Take frequent breaks.
Don't believe either end of the spectrum. The pay is pretty decent, yes (or, depending on how you feel about your job and the lifestyle you want to lead, the pay sucks.) And there are a lot of jobs out there. But I don't think anyone can guarantee that it'll go to you. You just have to focus in on what you want to do and find ways to get it.
Just in the last couple weeks there was a man who committed murder-suicide on his wife in an ICU and a veteran shot a doctor at a VA medical center. These were both national news stories.
I still don't understand what the OP is saying when talking about "murders" and the "usual fare" in the context of this discussion.
I will answers you questions the best way I can-honestly.
1) Is this shortage of nurses true? More importantly, is it very difficult for someone new to nursing to get an entry level job? I keep looking up at job postings and every single posting requires at least a year of experience.
There is a shortage of experienced, specialty nurses across the board; I live in a major metro area where there hasn't been a true shortage well over a decade; it was difficult to find a job and was a LPN (licensed practical nurse) for 7 years; most of my cohort thought that I would've had a job faster than them.
It took me 8 months to get my first position; I was also open to my position to gain experiences; my experiences outside the hospital setting gave me a position and made a very viable candidate for hospital positions.
If ones looks beyond the major cities, then YES, there is a nursing shortage; mainly in rural areas and smaller cities; in this climate, one has to be ready to relocate to get a coveted hospital job; otherwise, be prepared to take out-of-the-box nursing positions; there is PLENTY of nursing to be done beyond the hospital walls.
2) Is the saying that "nurses are overworked and underpaid" true? Is the career of nursing THAT draining that burnout is common?
Hmm...nurses do a lot, simplistically speaking; however, the skill set of a nurse is a force to be reckoned with; we have the knowledge and must know what the provider knows and THEN some. We have to advocate and we have opportunities to make policies and have a seat at the table to help with decision making (at least in my experience)
We work hard; we work with the most vulnerable populations, we deal with the most intimate situations, we teach, we must think on our feet and sometimes are exposed to any and everything, and deal with challenging personalities from our patients, their family/significant others to even our peers.
Could we be paid more?
ABSOLUTELY.
But, at least in my experiences, my salary has allowed me to own property, travel around the world, save for retirement and enjoy the fruits of my labors.
3) How good is the pay?
Depends on the cost of living, and your debt/income ratio-honestly.
I will say I made awesome money as an independent contractor; the tax breaks are wonderful.
4) I think asking this in a nursing forum makes no sense but i'll ask it anyway: Do you believe its worth it to become a nurse? Would you do it again if you were told you'd become 18 again and be able to choose any career you wanted?
It's hard to answer this question because, honestly, nursing has been a fit for ME. It encompasses science, philosophy, creative and technical writing, and education; it fits my interests and personality.
I've never been a 9-5 person and was an insomniac as a child; so the off shifts and the short weeks to work is something I enjoy; not everyone will enjoy what I enjoy, but I think nursing can be a fit, as long as it's look at practically.
Would I do it again?
I would be different because by this time, I would've put my time in and would be returning to school to become a nurse educator and a NP-still my semi retirement plans.
1) Is this shortage of nurses true? More importantly, is it very difficult for someone new to nursing to get an entry level job? I keep looking up at job postings and every single posting requires at least a year of experience.
The shortage is true. The problem is, "they" don't want to hire more nurses, creating a glut of unemployed nurses (you did say you were in NY, yes? Me too.) The experienced nurses looking for a new job will trump the new grads, hence your job postings. Oh, and in NY you should aim for at least a BSN.
2) Is the saying that "nurses are overworked and underpaid" true? Is the career of nursing THAT draining that burnout is common?
Yes. The physical and psychological and emotional tolls on being a nurse in most jobs is huge. Yes. Burnout is common, but the beauty of nursing is there are many hats to wear. If you get burnt in the ER, switch to ICU, parents in PEDS killing you? Switch to ONC. Home Care, , DD pop, Pvt practice, Etc.
3) How good is the pay?
The pay is good enough that I can buy a Coach bag once a year.
4) I think asking this in a nursing forum makes no sense but i'll ask it anyway: Do you believe its worth it to become a nurse? Would you do it again if you were told you'd become 18 again and be able to choose any career you wanted?
I take everything said online and in person with a bit of detachment. Everything I have been told about the field has been somewhat off in terms of the truth. When I didn't get a high score on the HESI (I got like an 820 the second time around) they told me I wouldn't pass the NCLEX and shouldn't be allowed to graduate. Well they let me graduate and I passed the NCLEX the FIRST time around. Then when I quit the hospital I was working at as a nursing student because I wasn't happy there they said getting a job as a new grad would be difficult. I landed a job in a facility before I even passed the NCLEX, it had better staffing, better support, a better residency, and even paid more. It also had more growth opportunity. My resume looks beautiful now. If I could go back to age 18 I think I would pursue this career but i would focus more. Nursing offers me what I want: flexibility, a skill, the opportunity for payment and travel, less work days a week. That's it! That's all I wanted out of a career and I got it. There's a few things I'd like to adjust like working closer to home (a 1 hour commute is a lot for me) and having less involvement in politics, less time spent at one job at the moment would be nice. But...I'm working on it.
So to answer your question:
I think it's up to you what you do and how you do it. Be willing to take risks. Nurses CAN be underpaid and overworked but it depends on where you work and how you feel about the work you do. Personally, I'm comfortable with my pay, but I know that if I move around and keep seeking growth opportunities that I could be paid more for less stress and more freedom.
Nurses can get burnt out. This job can be really stressful. But in my personal opinion, it's who you work with (the doctors, management, coworkers, allied health, patients) that can fuel the stress. So find a group you can work well enough. Take frequent breaks.
Don't believe either end of the spectrum. The pay is pretty decent, yes (or, depending on how you feel about your job and the lifestyle you want to lead, the pay sucks.) And there are a lot of jobs out there. But I don't think anyone can guarantee that it'll go to you. You just have to focus in on what you want to do and find ways to get it.
This...this right here is everything! I'm so over the doom and gloom stories of nursing (although it is important to hear both sides!). Your story are words of encouragement and are the reason I stay focused on being a successful nurse one day!
If I was 18 and knew what I know now, I certainly wouldn't be a part of an accelerated program. Administration scrambles for teachers at the last minute, trying to find someone, anyone, who will teach during the summer term. My assessment teacher had never taught level 1 before. The regular term students are treated with more respect. They are the real nursing students. They have their pictures on the faculty room wall. They get better, more thorough instruction and better organized clinicals. We often felt like the "step-children." None of us even attended graduation because it seemed like we weren't really welcome. Sad, but true. Any of my classmates would say the same.
Specializes in Pediatrics/Developmental Pediatrics/Research/psych.
This...this right here is everything! I'm so over the doom and gloom stories of nursing (although it is important to hear both sides!). Your story are words of encouragement and are the reason I stay focused on being a successful nurse one day!
We all hate gloom and doom, but for many nurses nowadays, this is reality. Even without any student loans, a year out of school and still no job is pretty much gloom and doom.
Realizing that you have submitted over 600 applications within a six month period and have only had two interviews, is pretty much the definition of gloom and doom.
When networking, said applicant should not be chastised for being "picky". That is pretty close to gloom and doom.
Wondering from where the rent money well come and only eating dinner on nights that the nurse babysit...that is gloom and doom.
Sorry for this, but as much as I love that I am a nurse, reality is sometimes really but nice...
Thank you all for your responses ! I didn't mean murders but nurses, a horrible typo . It seems from the responses that nursing is a bit difficult to be employed when you first begin and is quite a difficult job but for those who like it will LOVE it. I never thought of the different positions a nurse could have. It just sounds like it's something you truly want to do, not really something that you settle for or choose because you want a job.
I'm so over the doom and gloom stories of nursing (although it is important to hear both sides!). Your story are words of encouragement and are the reason I stay focused on being a successful nurse one day!
! I didn't mean murders but nurses, a horrible typo 
. It seems from the responses that nursing is a bit difficult to be employed when you first begin and is quite a difficult job but for those who like it will LOVE it. I never thought of the different positions a nurse could have. It just sounds like it's something you truly want to do, not really something that you settle for or choose because you want a job.
Acromic
9 Posts
Kelly and JR, you guys are right. There are other options but i guess since u always see murders in hospitals doing what most people consider "usal fare nursing" you might think that's the only option. It seems like a BSN is useful for a variety of things depending on the kind of person u are. Thank u both.