If the job market is so terrible right now...

[jayandaroo88]

...would it make the more sense for prospective nursing students to wait out the job slump?

I keep reading about how new grads cannot find jobs... eventually they are no longer eligible for new grad programs. And to top it all off, for each semester they remain jobless, more fresh grads are being pumped into the labor market, which makes the competition progressively worse and competitive.

So what's a nurse to do in that situation?

As a fresh university graduate (22 years old), I'm currently deciding between accelerated, second BSN (2-year), and diploma programs. As many of you know, diploma programs have a waiting list (of maybe 1-2 years) - and not only that, but it seems like if I want to work at a hospital, I will have to do an online bridging program which may take another 1-2 years?

By that time, it might be 2015 before I am working as a BSN. I know that sounds crazy, but could that in any way be smarter -- to wait out the terrible job market? Or is that simply a waste of time?

Would it make more sense to work now until I get off the waiting list (would have enough to cover tuition and graduate from a hospital program debtless), and then perhaps work in a position that does not require a BSN (ie, not in a hospital) -- until I get the BSN?

It's just very frustrating to read about the job market -- is it really that bad? Is waiting in hopes of the market rebounding worth it? Maybe hospitals will finally be willing to train nurses, maybe more nurses will have retired? Are any other students in this position who are afraid to enter nursing? Any experienced nurses have any advice?

Thank you.

[jayandaroo88]

If you could land a decent job, I'd recommend that so that you could continue to be debt free. Plus, that would give you time to research the various schools and types of nursing out there - so you don't end up graduating with another degree that you're not sure how you want to use - as well as added debt and lost income. Having a more focused goal could also make the choice of nursing program easier as well since you could find ones that would best meet your goals.

The bulk of RN work available out there is bedside nursing. Volunteer, take a nursing assistant course, ask to shadow any RN acquaintance you can get hold of - see if that appeals to you. If not, nursing still may be for you, but again, you could use the "wait time" to research other areas of nursing and start getting toehold through related volunteer or coursework. That way, you'll have so much more to offer a potential employer than an untested license and a general desire to help people.

hi, thank you for your repsonse. i have several doctors/nurses in my immediate and extended family so i'm not completely in the dark about nursing -- i've also been following and reading about nursing for years now. i'm still currently trying to get my feet more wet in nursing. originally i was supposed to work as a PCA at a hospital but the transportation situation wouldn't have worked out so that never fell through. because i work in a nursing/retirement home i do have some exposure (and opportunities), but in the meantime i'm trying to get my foot inside a hospital still.

i have also contemplated social work, but as of now, my classes/experience are all tailored towards nursing school at the moment.

as far as this topic is concerned though, i just don't know whether or not it's smarter to try to wait out the job market for about 2 years or jump into nursing ASAP, given the poor market for nursing right now. another alternative, if i really wanted to get into social work, is to get into the social work field and maybe get into nursing in the future if i so desired, but i will have to do a lot of thinking, researching, planning, and try to wet my feet in social work, before i make that decision.

[such_sweet_sorrow]

I am in the exact same boat as you are! It really all depends on what you want to spend your life doing. If you really, truly want to be a nurse, go ahead and go for it. If you're not sure, take a year or two and decide where you would be truly happy. No sense in fighting for misery.