Is the Job Market SLowly Improving

[pat8585]

I read often on here that nurses are having a really hard time finding a job.

Was wondering if the job market is improving in everday people's opinions.

[caliotter3]

Those who are still out of work after months of looking would tend to disagree that there is improvement.

[NewTexasRN]

Yes, in some areas. All my friends have found jobs. Some are even moving on to their second jobs, but location is key.

[llg, PhD, RN]

There has been some improvement at my hospital. In early 2009, we were hiring nobody as we were cutting back on staff. No one was laid off or eliminated, but nurses who left were usually not replaced. We only replaced them in a few key areas where the patient census was strong.

After getting our staff numbers down through attrition, we started hiring a few more nurses in the fall of 2009 -- not adding to our staff, but replacing nurses who left. Not many people were leaving, but the few who did leave were replaced.

Now ... we are starting to add a few staff members to areas who have maintained a decent census and are therefore considered a reasonably safe bet financially. I am in the staff development department -- and our orientation numbers have been dramatically higher in the last 2 months and units are planning to continue hiring (but selectively) in the next few months. Budgets are being built for the next fiscal year and units are adding a few FTE's here and there.

I'd say we have definitely turned the corner ... but because nurses are not leaving their current jobs in significant numbers, the hiring is below historical levels, but much better than last year.

[ItsTheDude]

it's improving, but the backlog (supply) of newbie nurses with no job or underemployed (pt) is still there, supply versus demand is still way out of whack. it's not going to be good until there is no backlog and it won't be back to normal until there isn't enough supply to meet a massive demand.

i personally don't think we'll ever see travel nursing, bonuses, etc be what they were just a few years ago.

[jmking]

Not around here in Seattle, WA. It's hard for the newer nurses, like myself. At least I have work.

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

Only experienced nurses.

[oramar]

The tight job market started regionally then turned more national. What I think we are seeing is that the regions that were affected first and most sever are going to be the last to see an improvement. If you live in area where the tight job market hit late and moderately to mildly the improvement has already started and may progress to a nursing shortage really quickly.

[RockyCreek]

I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are reinstating sign-on bonuses for experienced nurses in all the ICU's and even in MedSurg! Last year, we hired quite a few new graduates in MayJune so we expect to hired a few again this year. If anyone is interested in the St Louis area, I will share more information via PM.

[live&love&heal]

I can speak for LVNs that the market here in CA is very very bad.

I graduated last year and just got my license in Jan.

Every job listing asks for at least 6 months to a year of experience.

I'm defintiely getting my BSN. Hopefully when I graduate from BSN school and get my RN license, they job market will be better.

[WalkieTalkie, RN]

It's worse at my hospital. There is no overtime to be found at all. They are not hiring anyone new from outside the hospital at this time, and they have stopped all sign on bonuses.

Additionally, I have been looking for a PRN job just for some extra cash, and there's not a single one listed in there that I wouldn't do unless I was desperate

[socialworkertonurse]

Hi everyone,

I worked in the employment field for a very long time and can tell you that there are still tons of nursing jobs. Only about 8 percent of all actual job openings are even posted in the newspaper or other areas. Most job openings never get posted. I have found almost every job I have through sending my resume to employers not knowing there were openings. Also, getting your foot in the door as a substitute or PRN is much easier than getting in directly as a full time. Nurses are found in almost all industries. What you should each do is type up a draft email that has a cover letter and resume. Go to the local online chamber of commerce website to get a list of employers in your area, healthcare and other and just start sending those emails out. Don't just concentrate on healthcare employers. Government, manufacturing, education all have nurses as well. If you think out of the box, you WILL LAND A JOB. I guarantee it.