How Do You Feel About Nursing Schools Still Milking the "Nursing Shortage" Lie?

[Mezcalero]

You see them everywhere, especially here--sponsoring this site. The other day I read in the paper of a university offering an open house to entice (perhaps the better word is "lure") candidates to come on down to learn about all the opportunities available to them because of "the critical nursing shortage we're experiencing in this country."

It made me so mad I almost wanted to go down there to enlighten the sorry saps who would buy into that garbagio that they were being taken for a ride. I understand these predators need to keep their enrollments up, but this seems like out-and-out fraud of the first degree.

Thoughts?

[GCTMT]

Yes, some nurses are having a hard time finding jobs...but most of them are new graduate nurses and/or inexperienced nurses.

Well, how are the new grads, or inexperienced nurses supposed to get that experience without a job as an RN? :doh:

[awhitt001]

A couple of things to think about.....

1) If you simply look at the predictable increase in patients due to the aging "baby boomer" generation, the projections for nurses over the next 5-10 years is anticipated to be at shortage levels, even with every available student seat full right now and during the next 5 years.

2) Add to that the fact that (just like in every other profession), people are always retiring when the financial outlook is good, I think we can safely assume that at some point during the next 5 years, there will be a rapid jump in openings as nurses that are in a "holding pattern" will begin transitioning out. This group would include people that are waiting for retirement savings to pick back up and those who's spouses have unexpectedly lost jobs.

The schools' advertisings that mention the "nursing shortage" may not necessarily be referring to a current shortage. Think about it, the students that they are trying to attract will be graduating (on average) 2 to 4 years from now --- certainly not next month. From the school's standpoint, the people that their advertising is aimed at WILL be filling a shortage (anticipated as it is). Not only that, but realistically, no business is going to go into lengthy explainations in their advertising. The purpose of the advertising is to get you interested so you'll contact them to get more info. HOPEFULLY, when you do go to the admissions office, they will at that time explain what they mean. Having said that, I don't see their advertising as lying.

To be clear, I am not in advertising, nor do I work for a school, it's just that I'm looking at it from the other side of the fence. I am a student and I'm looking at what the job market will be in 2011. I can certainly see where your frustration could be coming from though if you are currently looking for a job and can't find anything at this time.

All the best to you !! :loveya:

[Mezcalero]

Well first off, I have to admit that this thread is a culmination of my frustration, and the reasoned responses thus far are a good counterbalance to that.

I guess I get a little bemused when I see schools making statements like "there has never been a better time than now to get into nursing," and often flat-out implying that employers will be fighting over you as a new graduate nurse.

I agree that their obligation is fulfilled when they provide proper training and adequate preparation to sit for the NCLEX. However, I do feel that when people are making critical decisions about their future, it's a good thing for the educational institutions to be honest about the employment prospects in the field they train people for.

For example, when I went to audio engineering school over twenty years ago, they were right up-front about the employment prospects: a small percentage of graduates would get jobs in the field and usually the first one would be as a go-fer. Being young and dumb, I went anyway, got my first job working for free, but eventually persevered and turned it into a fairly long-lived career and was able to work for some pretty famous people.

I guess I'm just feeling the irony in that a "music business" school was more up-front about the market than these "noble" nursing schools.

And BTW, my remark about working in a pizzeria was at least half-facetious. I don't feel I'm entitled to anything, and to be honest, the responses in this thread have caused me to rethink my aversion to working in LTC. So thanks everyone for the support and suggestions. :)

[libbyjeanne]

...if I get the med-surg shot in three, six, nine months--then I'll still be ahead of the game as opposed to if I spent a year cleaning up poop (which I don't consider myself above doing, mind you--I just don't want it to be the ONLY thing I'm doing)...

There is much more to LTC than just cleaning up poop. You still get to do nursing skills; like assessments, wound care, g-tube feeds...you also learn some time management and organizations skills.

[marilynmom, LPN, NP]

I don't think any nursing school can predict the job market for new nursing students coming into the program.....things might be totally different in 2 years when they graduate.

Just because places are not hiring doesn't mean there is no shortage.....my hospital is on a hiring freeze but we are still short staffed ALL the time, if not worse, because if someone quits there is no new hire to replace them.

[kmarie724]

...if I get the med-surg shot in three, six, nine months--then I'll still be ahead of the game as opposed to if I spent a year cleaning up poop (which I don't consider myself above doing, mind you--I just don't want it to be the ONLY thing I'm doing)...

There is much more to LTC than just cleaning up poop. You still get to do nursing skills; like assessments, wound care, g-tube feeds...you also learn some time management and organizations skills.

I agree. I work in LTC and I do much more than clean up poop. I actually need to delegate most of the poop cleaning to my CNAs because I'm too busy doing assessments, calling MDs, advocating for my residents, educating residents and families, giving meds (mostly PO, but some SQ, IM, and even IV), documenting, putting in caths, doing dressing changes (some quite involved), etc., etc.

[maggie24]

i am not a nurse yet, but i will be attending fall 2010 (after 2 yr wait), and i have been panicking a little b/c i read posts such as these that talk about how there really is no nursing shortage b/c no one can get jobs, especially new grads.

but, i would have to agree with op- even if there are no jobs, this is a reflection of the financial situation of the hospital, not necessarily the hospital's need for nurses.

also, with the aging of my parent's generation (baby boomers) there will be an increased need for nurses in the years to come without a doubt!

hopefully the economy will improve sooner than later for all of you searching for a job!:wink2:

check these out:

california's nursing shortage crisis will vary by region, ucsf report shows - ucsf news office

california nursing shortage still exists

http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/california-nursing-shortage-still-exists

[NC Girl BSN]

I agree, the economy has alot to do with the way hospitals are hiring. There are still shortages in hospitals but they are TRYING to compensate by increasing the patient loads and making you think that you should be thankful to have a job right now. Whatever! They are also using experienced float pool nurses to fill in the gaps. For example on the floor that I work now, there are at least 4-5 float pool nurses that are regular staff on day's. They could easily hire 2-3 staff to fill the void. I work on the Neuro unit and they have hired at least 15 people for that floor this year. The unit is expanding and they need more help. I just started 4/20/09 and 9 people have been hired. My preceptor was orienting 2 people at the same time for 2 weeks. Most of the newly hired people were recommended from existing staff. They tell the manage, I know someone who would be good to work on the unit. The manager calls them up and interviews them and hires them. Meanwhile your application is somewhere in HR land and never makes it up to the manager. That is why, I will alway be proactive and go straight to the unit manager with my resume packet. They will take notice and see that you are proactive and maybe give you a chance. If filling out online applications are not working, then you need to do something else to make the managers notice you.

[touchhealth]

I was at an interview for a nursing school program a few weeks ago, and the professor conducting the interview told me quite directly that there is NO nursing shortage in northern california, and that southern california isn't much better. I was impressed that she was so honest w/ me about that. (althought I wonder if she was trying to test how comitted I am to getting into the nursing field...)

She also noted that she'd been a nurse for over 3 decades, and had seen these types of cycles come around at least 3 times previously. She noted that there will be an upturn, but in the meantime it's going to be hard to get and keep Nursing Jobs especially as a new grad.

Just thought I'd point out that some schools are representing the current situation accurately to new nursing school applicants.

[GreenRNbsn]

I agree 100% that the shortage is a total lie. If there were truly a shortage then hospitals would be hiring new grads. To me, it's simple economics. One of the posters says "hospitals are hiring- just not new grads etc." It's as though the poster didn't actually comprehend your original post! The sad irony is that all of these nursing schools are getting all of these poor suckers in there to become entrenched with debt for nothing. The colleges seem strangely conspiratorial in nature regarding these very false selling points. The truth is that you really need to work as a PCA in a hospital either prior to or while actually attending school. To me, it's hard to believe that the media hasn't reported on any of this, thus I see them as part of the terrible problem. That is to say...schools continue churning out new grads further stiffening the competition. At some point I guess I may have to wait tables or something. It's just gotten to be ridiculous here in southern Ohio. I feel like my BSN is as useless as my RN license.

[oliviajolie]

Depend on where you live. I live in NC and there are areas that are in need of nurses. I am a new grad and applied to 3 different hospitals and was offered a job at each. One hospital is stil calling be. Actually two different managers from the same hospital called me and told me if I decided to leave the other place to give them a call back. The shortage may not be in your direct area.Maybe your frustrated that you live in a saturated area but thats not the case in some places especially rural areas. When you get your degree, you may have to pick up and move to an area where there is a shortage.

where in nc do you live?

[NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN]

Unfortunately, the general public and most articles allow for the schools to continue saying this. The reality is it only takes about 5 minutes of googling to discover that there isn't a nursing shortage, at this point people entering programs should have full awareness of the current situation and frankly, their education is in their hands and they should have investigated prior to the commitment if they were not willing to be unemployed for a long time. What people aren't realizing though is that people from EVERY major are unable to find work, my current babysitter is a girl who just got her degree from UCR in psychology. And she's babysitting. The entire nation is in the same boat regardless of the degree. But when the economic situation improves, nursing will have much more opportunity than psychology or other common majors.

I DO however feel sorry for the people that started programs in 2007 when there was still a shortage only to graduate in 2009 or later, and now be unable to find work.