Is nursing recession-proof?

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In 8 short weeks, I will be without a teaching job after 22 years. My resignation is necessary to pursue a second degree for nursing as a second career. All the reports in the media say we are smack dab in the middle of a recession. Does anyone have any information about how a failing economy will affect health care jobs? Is this a terrible time to try to change careers? Thanks for any help you can provide. :confused:

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I graduated from the LPN program in 1992 and an RN program in 1994. I had to continue working as an LPN for six months until I could find an RN position. Having been thru that experience, I realized that the more education you have in nursing, the better off you will be.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
I graduated from the LPN program in 1992 and an RN program in 1994. I had to continue working as an LPN for six months until I could find an RN position. Having been thru that experience, I realized that the more education you have in nursing, the better off you will be.

Well I don't know. That was also around the time that a lot of CNSs lost their jobs. I think that the key is education plus flexibility. I remember during that time, I was shocked to learn that nurses were losing their jobs. I was always per diem and a lot of people that were per diem with me took staff positions because of a few cancellations. I was never out of work during that time except in the beginning of my pregnancy with my son in '98. Having a wide skill-set and a willingness to be open to other positions I think got me through those times.

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It has been my experience with facilities, when the economy slows so does the hiring. I have seen positions stay vacant for months, sure staff was needed but with spouses laid off, plants closing, and prices going up, most nurses would work overtime. Facilities knew this and banked on staff doing overtime to fill the voids they left open. Nurses may have jobs, just not the jobs of their dreams. Less chance to transfer, get new skills, educational benefits were cut, insurance was raised in price, and wages stayed the same. Nothing new in any of this, just be aware....nursing is not a job for the faint of heart.

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I foresaw very hard times coming when I retired from active duty a few years ago. At that point, computer guys were starting out at about twice what RNs were, but I threw over 3 years to a BS in computer science to start taking nursing prereqs pretty much from scratch (few of the courses I had would apply except English and math).

Businesses that during boom times will expansively blow money on heinously expensive carpeting and the latest custom software were going to be on the ropes. Individuals would be down to zero luxuries, and they'd be forced to choose between necessities. And I figured health care would be the very last thing they'd ditch.

Of course times are going to be rough. If anyone thinks staffing is intolerably tight now, or basic resources or hospital infrastructure are maxed out now, well maybe they're just not flexible enough to survive the coming decade.

I mean, it's not nursing per se that's recession-proof, it's the nurse who is willing to make the required adjustments and stay the course who will be recession-proof. Quitters will always be losers, whatever the letters after their name.

Anyone considering entering nursing because it appears logical that the field will weather the coming storm nicely would do well to first take stock of themselves to see if they have the sustainability to hang not with nursing as it is, but with nursing as it will be in extreme crunch times.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
I remember in the mid 1990's when weekend pay plans/Baylor plans disappeared, sign on bonuses vanished, and new grads had to work harder to find a new job. There were a lot of Canadian nurses who moved to the states to find full-time work too.

It wasn't just Canadian nurses. I remember a lot of nurses from the NE, places like Rhode Island were moving to Florida because they couldn't find jobs back home.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I agree with the concensus that we fare better during recession because of the shortage, but that things shift. Part time nurses who husbands are having a hard time, return to full time nursing. If the recenssion is accompanied by inflation like what's happening in Florida with higher insurance and gas prices raising the cost of virtually everything, we're working more.

Cash strapped facilities, especially those public facilities relying on tax dollars might undergo a hiring freeze and as was mentioned above nurses and new grads begin to take the off shifts and hours. "Unnecessary" positions such as diabetic nurses, ostomy nurses and floor educators are squeezed out and they are forced to work the floor.

As happened in the 90's nurses begin to make major moves to parts of the country where jobs are plentiful. Wages become stagnant.

All studies show the future is bright for job opportunities in nursing, but to say we're recession-proof isn't right either. Nurses who are willing to work any shift any job will fare better than those who for whatever reason want 9-5 weekends and holidays off.

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when my sil graduated in 1990 there were offers to the class before graduation and they had their choice of where to work

when my dd graduated about 4 years later she had a time finding a job the only new grads that the hospitals were hiring were those who had experience as lpns, she finally found a job 50 miles away

in about a year the whole job market had turned around and she got a job close to home

i don't believe that it is going to get to that state of affairs this time but times are like the tide they go in and out and you have to float along

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Specializes in Peds, PICU, Home health, Dialysis.

We are not in a recession yet, so I wouldn't worry just yet. The recession is speculation by a few economists. The GDP has definitely fallen but not to the point where we call it a recession.

I think there are certain parts of the country where the nursing shortage is so severe where a recession would probably not do much to the availability of nursing positions.

Either way, I realized early in (before I even started nursing school) that it would be far easier to get a job if I was able to get myself into a hospital and network. I really wanted to work at our county hospital, thus I decided to apply to a grant position and was hired. I was able to network myself and after I started nursing school was able to get a nurse apprentice job. I now have a promised job in the PICU upon graduation, which is where I wanted to work.

So if those in nursing school are worried about not getting a position after graduation, I really think networking is key.

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I believe the economy has a lot to do with how poor nursing conditions have become. With so many people out of jobs, we need to be more grateful than ever. I noticed that management has become more defensive about conditions because they can easily replace us with another nurse, especially a new grad. Hospitals love new grads....easy on the budget and no other experiences to compare to.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, M/S.

It is interesting that the OP is a teacher. It seems that teaching/education in a public school would be more 'recession proof' than nursing is.

Another factor that comes into play - hospitals can only pay us if they are getting paid by the patients. Considering our health insurance system is deteriorating and we are seeing more and more uninsured/underinsured patients....scary.

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Specializes in ICU, nutrition.

Either way, I realized early in (before I even started nursing school) that it would be far easier to get a job if I was able to get myself into a hospital and network. I really wanted to work at our county hospital, thus I decided to apply to a grant position and was hired. I was able to network myself and after I started nursing school was able to get a nurse apprentice job. I now have a promised job in the PICU upon graduation, which is where I wanted to work.

So if those in nursing school are worried about not getting a position after graduation, I really think networking is key.

Not to be punny, but AMEN SISTER! And not just for those in nursing school, either. Networking led to the job that I have now in metabolic support that I just LOVE.

I'm realistic, though, and so is my boss. We understand that our role may be seen as ancillary and therefore unnecessary in tight financial times, so we are out there making sure our value is known, especially to those on the top floor who make those financial decisions...

So, more networking.

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I am not entering nursing because it is "recession-proof." After teaching for 22 years, I am totally burned out, and I have always wanted to work in medicine.Since I'm single, I will have to work after retirement ,(in 5 years),anyway, so I need to get started training for a new career before I am too old to hold up a text book.It is just the timing of the economic downturn happening just as I am leaving my job. Changing careers is scary, and I wanted to find out if jobs will even exist after all I will have to put into it.

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