I would like to hear from some nurse recruiters on why no one can find a job.

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I was just wondering what you guys are doing. I have applied to a certain large health system in NJ for a per diem position in another hospital in the same system I currently work in. With a bsn and certification in the area, I am definitely qualified. I have a stellar work history and references. I just dont understand why they are not calling.

With so many nurses unable to find a job, I would like to hear from some recruiters about how many aps you receive in a day, what kind of facility/health care system you work in etc. I understand your hands are tied as far as how many people you can hire but seriously, are you really getting 50 aps for ever 1 position. What makes your final decison when you have multiple qualified applicants? Please respond because I am very curious about this.

Specializes in Med-Surg & Psych.

Hi Steve: I'm a new RN/career-changer who has read allnurses.com for several years. AND, I must admit, your posts/comments/replies in general. I always find them very enlightening, accurate and balanced. Soooo......LOL, you have a reader-fan club out here, and perhaps don't know it. I've also always been impressed with the photo of the "2 gloved hands" holding a preemie....very special. And finally, I MUST ask you about your "ending quote signature" on all your posts, about "have fun playing with the Angels, Baby Girl", and the initials "CS", etc., after that quote. Can you plz enlighten me on where that comes from?? Is it a biblical quote? Thanks steve and keep on writing and moderating....I learn from you, whenever I read your replies.

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Hi Steve: I'm a new RN/career-changer who has read allnurses.com for several years. AND, I must admit, your posts/comments/replies in general. I always find them very enlightening, accurate and balanced. Soooo......LOL, you have a reader-fan club out here, and perhaps don't know it. I've also always been impressed with the photo of the "2 gloved hands" holding a preemie....very special. And finally, I MUST ask you about your "ending quote signature" on all your posts, about "have fun playing with the Angels, Baby Girl", and the initials "CS", etc., after that quote. Can you plz enlighten me on where that comes from?? Is it a biblical quote? Thanks steve and keep on writing and moderating....I learn from you, whenever I read your replies.

I could not agree with you more! One of our finest!

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, M/S, Supervisor, MRDD,.

:smokin:+I work in a small rural hospital in Missouri. Our med/surg unit operates consistantly with a "skeleton crew". We Hire new grad prn nurses with little to no experience and put them, barely oriented, into our ICU and M/S units. They earn about $33/ hr if they agree to work more then 1 unit. The rest of us full-time/part-time folks make about $10 less/hr and that's okay by me because I realize PRN folds don't get benefits, PTO, ETC>

+Although some of these PRN folks are smart and qualified (some even overqualified) others are not-so-great type nurses. Then we have management that wonder why a patient with CHF gets life-flight out of ICU because some smart little nurse decides to bolus a liter into him because of "low b/p" of 96/60 with a MAP of 62????? HELLO!! No Dr order for this bolus!! No call to Dr later!! AND NO CONSEQUENCES TO THE NURSE!!!! "She just needs more training." This is management's reply. I wanted to tell them "you can't fix stupid" but I thought they may take offense.

Our m/s unit has only 19 beds on the primary unit and of those beds an average of 9 pts occupy those beds. Some days we are full, some days were down to 1 patient, and some days we discharge 6 and admit 6 in an hour. We only have a CNA if the census is over 7 and more then once I've been the "total care" nurse with 5 or 6 patients. We don't have a unit clerk or charge nurse or any other ancillary staff on nights. So, if the s--t hits the fan it just has to splatter!

+We take turns being on-call and low census, but there are always opportunities to work. Although our hospital is very small we tend to hire A LOT of per diem employees and new grads. Its confusing to me how those "big city" hopitals are feeling the economic pinch also--- I guess its everywhere.

+You should ask your $100,000/yr CEO's when they got low-census last!! lol:smokin:

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No wonder they have problems with retention. Is that 11 patients on day shift or night?

Either way it is not safe on any shift 11 to 1 nurse pt ratio is dangerous for the pts, the nurse, and the Facility...when in the he(( are they going to wake up to the situation? MAH over poor nursing care d/t over staffing

TuTonka

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I have years of experience and have approx. 100 form letters (as stated above), 'We have had several people with experience which fit our needs better at this time." I even called one and asked what it is I need to do to make myself employable. She denied there was any problem. If I look at hiring practices vs. financial responsibility - you could hire 2 graduate nurses for what they would pay me, according to their pay scale, then it makes economical sense. It doesn't matter to the corporation if the nurse is a new graduate or years of experience, a license is a license. If the state inspectors say they are understaffed they will show all the reasons they find "qualified" nurses. This is just one more argument that for-profit should not be in the business of healthcare. Not-for-profit hospitals even use for-profit hospitals as their bell-weather (since profit margins are higher), so the same financial factors are involved. Patient care doesn't come first. Profits do.

I have seen that too often orrrrrrrrrrr the good ol' boy system I know a friend of a third cousin by marrage 3x removed and they need a job Ms so and so can you help them out? Makes me want to puke.

TuTonka:angryfire

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).
Hi Steve: I'm a new RN/career-changer who has read allnurses.com for several years. AND, I must admit, your posts/comments/replies in general. I always find them very enlightening, accurate and balanced. Soooo......LOL, you have a reader-fan club out here, and perhaps don't know it. I've also always been impressed with the photo of the "2 gloved hands" holding a preemie....very special. And finally, I MUST ask you about your "ending quote signature" on all your posts, about "have fun playing with the Angels, Baby Girl", and the initials "CS", etc., after that quote. Can you plz enlighten me on where that comes from?? Is it a biblical quote? Thanks steve and keep on writing and moderating....I learn from you, whenever I read your replies.

Guys, thanks so much.... I got a lump in my throat reading this! It really means a lot to hear that I make a [albeit small] difference in this huge community of nurses....

BTW: the signature line you mentioned is in memory of one of my patients who I primaried for several months, including Christmas. Born with an incurable illness, an otherwise perfectly formed beautiful baby girl, she really made an impact on my life. The short months I got to spend caring for her and her young parents are priceless.

That is what I love about my field. Even in death, when a parent hugs you and whispers "thank you" in your ear with tears on their face..... it is ALL worth it.

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Guys, thanks so much.... I got a lump in my throat reading this! It really means a lot to hear that I make a [albeit small] difference in this huge community of nurses....

BTW: the signature line you mentioned is in memory of one of my patients who I primaried for several months, including Christmas. Born with an incurable illness, an otherwise perfectly formed beautiful baby girl, she really made an impact on my life. The short months I got to spend caring for her and her young parents are priceless.

That is what I love about my field. Even in death, when a parent hugs you and whispers "thank you" in your ear with tears on their face..... it is ALL worth it.

Sweet ome that is what keeps nurses in nursing and yes it does...it makes it all worth it.

TuTonka alias Bawl Bag

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SteveRN1, I can't even find my keys when I put them down on my coffee table, can you imagine me with preemies?!:lol2:

Anyway, I just accepted a position at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital in Tinton Falls. Good pay, an easy commute, and perfect hours (3p-11p). I've lived in the city and I'm over it, great to visit but it gets more and more expensive every year. Although if St. Vincent's Emergency Department calls me I might have to rethink that. They're building a whole new hospital from the ground up in the next 5 years so maybe then.

Does HealthSouth Rehab hire LPN's?

Thx

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Specializes in Travel.

Hi!

I am a nurse recruiter in Tucson, Arizona. The main thing affecting job openings right now is that no one is doing elective procedures, which accounts for a lot of revenue in health care systems. Patients are coming in sicker and later in their disease processes, which drives acuity up, but still, you have the census problem. It would be irresponsible to hire nurses in droves while we are calling our existing employees off due to low census.

I think that things will improve by the end of the year.

Vivian

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Specializes in ICU, MS, Radiology, Long term care.

Viviana,

Thanks for your answer and candor. I have been applying to several positions in Kansas City and have received a form letter.."Fortunately we have several candidates apply for this position, unfortunately you have not been selected." Then the next week they have the same position posted. I feel I'm not understanding how this works or how to decipher the form letter I get. I realize you are not in Kansas City, but maybe you could enlighten me on how this hiring protocol works.

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Does anyone have any thoughts as to where nursing is going? we have all these new fancy titles coming out of the MSN programs-CLN a clinical LEAD nurse( isn't that a charge nurse) I've been an RN for 30 years - diploma program- back in the day when we still wore caps, white uniforms, no slips or other undrepants showing, CLEAN shoes. To expect to get a day shif job just out of the gate was unheard of- the old dragons had them jobs. I can remember being THE ONLY RN on 11-7 brand new- with 1 LPN and ! na for 24 tele-patients(tele was new also)charge nurse what charge nurse- I was it, the ink wasn't even dried on my license. Now we have staffing ratios that are IGNORED, and HIRING MANAGERS??, HR entorages, assistants and assistants to the assistants. I too am out of a steady position- I do Per deim when I don't get cancelled, just started with an agency- my BOOKING agent isn't even a nurse- I get cancelled at the only places she books me- REHABs and LTC- Ive' worked 30 long hard years in the HOSPITAL-med/surg-that is the most under rated speciality there is, tele- enough to make your hair stand on ends- and oncology. I recently applied for and interviewed for a PT staff position- I feel like interviewing for a nursing position now a days is more like trying out for one of Donald Trumps beauty pagents and the judges are the 3 from Britian's got Talent- Simon, Amanda and Peirce, and I have to tap dance or sing I DREAMED a DREAM. There is supposed to be a NURSING shortage??? They want experience and new grads, a hiring freeze and being all about the money. What do they think is a decent pay for a med/surg nurse who is made/HAS to take 11 patients or a tele nurse with 6 tele patients, or an RN who is assigned premies- someone elses premey. That's a lot of RESPONSIBILITY and ACCOUNTABILITY. These CEO's and HIRING MANAGERS ( who are nurses- I know i live next store to one- she is driving a BRAND NEW SILVER MERCEDED SPORT CAR and has a hubby who is a MSN in education and working also) There are these new people- MED TECHs. I looked up med tech- criteria: must be 16 years old, able to read 8th grade level, 15 HOUR program, cost of program $55.00- $75.00. ( cost of life?????) I would just like some forecast, thought on where others think the nursing in the future will be. We all can't sing and very few of US are driving silver mercedes. I know I'm not . I'm P--t.

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Specializes in ICU, MS, Radiology, Long term care.

karenchad,

That is a great question. All the problems you mentioned have been around for a long time. Older experienced nurses are too expensive and some, like you, realize things are not better for nurses or patients. It may be that hospitals don't want experienced employees because 1) they cost more. 2) they are less likely to be influenced by supervisors (or as you pointed out, whatever their job title is for today) because they actually see how staffing ratios and acuity systems aren't working to improve patient care. I, myself, don't see any 'progress' for nursing in general. Nursing care in hospitals seems to be done for the least amount of money and the least amount of regulation for the most money the public (most of the public) can bear. Staying with the American business plan: Do the least for the most you can charge and get away with.

I found 'Nursing Against the Odds' by Suzanne Gordon to be enlightening. I thought I was the only one who sees these problems with the way nursing is conducted and was validated to see other nurses see these same systemic problems.

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