Is BC really that bad in terms of RN jobs?

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As a BC NS I have seen numerous postings here about BC having no jobs available, or being frozen in terms of hiring.

This scares me a little, but also is confusing. While I was in my practicum placements, the coordinators talked about hiring and working at their hospital as part of ESN or even after grad.

So should I be looking at other provinces for employment, or is BC just hard for out of province RN's?

This seems insane to me that with all the RN shortages out there and the highly reported number of RN's set to retire or about too, that there are no available jobs in this province.

Can someone from BC shed some light, because I am a little nervous now about job oppurtunities in BC. I live in the lower mainland and was hoping to work in the lower mainland for both my ESN and after-grad nursing.

Thank you,

T.

I think if you don't mind working as a casual worker for a while, it's not a problem. I'm not in a nursing program yet but quite a few people I know have graduated in the last year or so, mostly from Langara, a few from BCIT and all found jobs.

The problem is, out of the people I know, almost everyone settled for a casual position for now. With one persistent person that tried for full time for about 4 or 5 months then settled on a part time offer by a hospital in Vancouver. With working as a casual, they've all been telling me that they get plenty of hours, probably just as much as a full time RN because they get called in and offered shifts all the time, more than they can handle, so you are getting money and experience. Unfortunately you just don't get benefits or pension. However, if you work as a casual for a few years as a grad, more opportunities will turn up, most likely through internal hiring.

Edit: Just wanted to add none of the people I know wanted to relocate at all. Same for me, I'm really not willing to go out of the greater Vancouver region, however, I don't mind a casual position at all.

Specializes in General Internal Medicine, ICU.

I'm not sure how to describe the job market in BC.

I graudated this May, and I applied to ALL 6 health authorities in BC. I have worked as an ESN with one of the health authorities. I didn't get a call back or a response at all. I decided that the waiting game wasn't fun to play, so I applied to Alberta. Within days of me applying, I got call backs and interviews. I was hired for a permanent part time job with full time hours within two weeks of submitting my application. I took the offer and will be relocating.

However, with that said, I do know that some classmates of mine have gotten full time lines in highly specialized areas (such as Pediatric OR and NICU). A few have gotten jobs on the floor that they worked as an ESN (all casual lines). A fair handful got jobs on general Med/Surg floors (also casual).

There ARE jobs for new grads in BC, but they are few and far between. Most of the peopel in my nursing class haven't gotten a job yet. Relocate if you can, and work in rural/small towns. There's always jobs there.

While there are TONS of nursing positions advertised on the various health authority websites, the funding isn't there to hire if that makes any sense. They get away with casual and on-calls to fill in between rather than hiring FT to save money.

I moved to AB and was offered a job from my very first interview. You can always look at trying to get recruited once you graduate too. Often these come with moving allowances, living allowances, signing bonuses and other goodies!

Specializes in geriatrics.

The majority of positions are not paying moving or signing bonuses. I also work for AHS. They haven't been doing so for a long while now. They don't need to.

Specializes in Med/Surg, LTC/Geriatric.

I know an RN who got a job at Kelowna General about 5 years ago. Was living and licensed in I think Nova Scotia. They paid all her moving costs, including shipping her car to get her out here. Mind you, this was 5 years ago. When she was on mat leave about 2.5 years ago, she was bumped and had to bump someone else out of their position and now has just a 0.58 and is finding it very hard to get by as she isn't able to pick up many other shifts (casual RNs get called befor those with positions for extra shifts).

Anyways, no way in heck would they need to do that now. New grads are lining up by the hundreds for any scrap of work and many working almost exclusively nights and weekends.

The last "goodie" my hospital gave to new hires was a tote bag and pen.

I mean applying to places outside of where you live. Provincial governments are always looking at recruiting new people to each province.

When I was hired with AHS, I was given priority and incentives over internal/Albertan applicants because I was moving from BC.

Obviously the living allowances are for more rural areas - perhaps I didn't make myself more clear in my prior post?

Specializes in geriatrics.

Your post was clear. I stand by what I said. I am also from another Province. Most health authorities do not offer bonuses to new grads or even experienced nurses. Unless you want to go way up north, as in Nunavut.

I mean applying to places outside of where you live. Provincial governments are always looking at recruiting new people to each province.

When I was hired with AHS, I was given priority and incentives over internal/Albertan applicants because I was moving from BC.

Obviously the living allowances are for more rural areas - perhaps I didn't make myself more clear in my prior post?

I doubt that you were given "priority" for several reasons.

The provincial government has committed to hiring 70% of the graduating nursing classes this year. There is still nurses from previous years looking for permanent full time lines.

The unions will/would have a field day. If you have been given "priority" over an internal applicant there will be a huge grievance submitted.

There are several areas of RAH that are far from desirable places to work. The turn over is horrific. People refuse to work on certain units.

Good Luck, you are really going to need it. RAH can be a hell hole to work in. I know, I've worked there for the better part of ten years and there are units, I'll never set foot on again.

Specializes in geriatrics.

Just wondering how long you've been a nurse Stephanita? Unless you have specialized qualifications with years of experience, no one is given priority over an internal candidate. Especially now, with this recession. That just does not happen.

RAH over the summer had huge postings for casual hires. I remember that the postings were asking for 20 surgical and 20 medical LPNs for the float pool. Local new grads applied for a lot. We are still absorbing the January grads as well.

That's okay.

Perhaps I shouldn't go into details as I sense combativeness :/ It was really not my intention to appear in front of a firing squad. The good thing is: we all have jobs and there are plenty of jobs all over Canada to be had!

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