Is it a bad idea to go to nursing school right now? (No more shortage)

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I have been researching, and from what I am reading it's getting increasingly more difficult for new grads to find jobs, and it concerns me even though I would love to go to nursing school and eventually become an RN, but I am worried about employment opportunities after 2025 or so... seems like too many people are graduating from RN programs with new online options, etc. does anyone know of any other Allied health occupations that are in demand, or any other occupations you can have as back-up with a nursing degree? Thank you.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

You may not get your "dream job" right out of school, but if you're willing to accept a job that isn't in your preferred location, specialty or institution, you'll find a job.

Baby Boomers (of which I am one) are getting older, retiring, cutting hours and consuming more health care. The outlook for nurses is good.

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I echo the about comments about older nurses are going to be retiring over the next decade, so I don't think job opportunities will be difficult to come by. I work as an adjunct nursing instructor and I know several of my students had potential new grad positions already lined up before they graduated because they were working as techs at hospitals and were going to transition to RNs. After you get that experience under your belt, you can move around easily. My friends and I have no problem finding jobs anytime. It makes my husband, a business major, sick how easy I can find a new job if I want one :)

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You may not get your "dream job" right out of school, but if you're willing to accept a job that isn't in your preferred location, specialty or institution, you'll find a job.

Baby Boomers (of which I am one) are getting older, retiring, cutting hours and consuming more health care. The outlook for nurses is good.

Unlike many I actually want a job working with older folk, in a nursing home like environment. I know most desire hospital jobs, but that wouldn't be my first choice, do you think it's a bit easier than hospital positions? Thank you for the reply.

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I live in Southern California where the job is saturated. You may be hearing a lot of New Grads struggling to find their dream job/unit.

My dream was ICU. I worked medsurg because that was the first job I secured. Sucked it up for 6-12 months.

Glad I did med/surg first. Taught myself the value of time management and interpersonal communications.

It really helped after my ICU orientation.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
Unlike many I actually want a job working with older folk, in a nursing home like environment. I know most desire hospital jobs, but that wouldn't be my first choice, do you think it's a bit easier than hospital positions? Thank you for the reply.

Much easier. Some NHs are so desperate, they will hire anyone with a pulse and nursing license.

Acute care is highly overrated. I say this as a nurse who works in baby ICU and adult med-surg. It isn't the end to be all. And if you can juggle the work of a LTC nurse, you can handle just about anything.

Also consider home healthcare. That business is booming.

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.
How do you know there will be more baby boomer nurses? reference please.

I for one is 68/yr old....I only plan oN working another 3-5 years

As RN

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Much easier. Some NHs are so desperate, they will hire anyone with a pulse and nursing license.

Acute care is highly overrated. I say this as a nurse who works in baby ICU and adult med-surg. It isn't the end to be all. And if you can juggle the work of a LTC nurse, you can handle just about anything.

Also consider home healthcare. That business is booming.

Wow awesome to hear, thanks for the intake!

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I live in Southern California where the job is saturated. You may be hearing a lot of New Grads struggling to find their dream job/unit.

My dream was ICU. I worked medsurg because that was the first job I secured. Sucked it up for 6-12 months.

Glad I did med/surg first. Taught myself the value of time management and interpersonal communications.

It really helped after my ICU orientation.

How long till you got your dream ICU job, was it after the 6-12 month period in Medsurg? Thanks for your intake.

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Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.

Not a bad idea. I had to leave my home state for experience, but once I got experience have had a series of high paid jobs. I think if you are going to go for it better now than later.

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Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.

To directly answer your question "Is it a bad idea to go to nursing school?"

Yes. If you don't want to be nurse and are just looking at nursing as job security.

The nursing market has traditionally been one of gluts and shortages. If you graduate during a shortage it is easy to get a job, not so easy during a glut. That "easy" job, though, can be your worst nightmare if you didn't want to be a nurse in the first place. So don't plan your career on getting an in-demand job.

I'm sure there will be plenty of jobs in computer/data related industries. If your goal is to secure an "easy to get" job, stay close to that field.

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To directly answer your question "Is it a bad idea to go to nursing school?"

Yes. If you don't want to be nurse and are just looking at nursing as job security.

The nursing market has traditionally been one of gluts and shortages. If you graduate during a shortage it is easy to get a job, not so easy during a glut. That "easy" job, though, can be your worst nightmare if you didn't want to be a nurse in the first place. So don't plan your career on getting an in-demand job.

I'm sure there will be plenty of jobs in computer/data related industries. If your goal is to secure an "easy to get" job, stay close to that field.

Well I do want to work in health care not in any type of office job, it's just that securing a job after studying is the whole point in even studying, so if in any course of study you have to be worried about finding a job after, it's probably not worth studying.

I just want to get in idea on how the future will be for nursing and other allied health professions.

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I know others have said this, but it is 100% dependent on your location. I graduated on May 5th and I would say at least 90% of my graduating class already had MULTIPLE job offers by MARCH!! The only people that I know of in my class that did not have a job upon graduation were people moving out of state. I had 5 job offers by the end of March.

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