IS THERE A DEMAND FOR LPN'S AND RN's

Editorial Team / Admin · Dec 15, 2015

As with every job, there are pockets of surplus and pockets of shortage. Generally, the surpluses are in higher populated areas (urban) and the shortages in the less populated areas (rural). Look around at job postings for local facilities- are there many, are there few, do they state BSN preferred/required for RNs.

nutella, MSN, RN · Dec 15, 2015

I think the answer is complicated.

In urban areas and especially in and around major cities (with plenty of nursing school...) it seems that new graduate RN are having a harder time finding jobs - especially in teaching hospitals or major hospitals. There are simply so many nurses graduating and only so many new graduate jobs. Also, in major cities /teaching hospitals/magnet hospitals the BSN has become preferred entry degree.

Once somebody has some solid experience it is easier to find a job as there are less experienced nurses.

The market for LPN varies.

The baby boomer generation started to retire but the younger ones of that generation are still working - I have read a prediction that once those retire there will be a higher demand for nurses a) because they are retiring and nurses are needed to fill the gaps and b) that generation will get more fragile and will need more care themselves.

There are more jobs available in rural areas.

I do not get the impression that there is a real nursing shortage where I live.

There is a lot of turnover everywhere and so nurses are needed to replace the ones that drop out, retire, change careers and become APRN, and so on.

If you look at job boards and job postings you will see somewhat of a trend for your area.

I know new grades who did not get a job for a year, I know new grades who moved away to take a job, and I know new grades who were lucky and found a job - so anything is possible it seems...

emmy27 · Dec 15, 2015

As the previous posters said, highly variable.

I graduated six years ago and struggled to find a new grad job (along with most of my classmates) due to an excess of nursing schools in the area- there were far more graduates every semester than the local hospital systems were prepared to absorb. I had to move to a new state in order to get one quickly. Most hospitals will only hire new grads to new grad-specific positions or training programs, so it can be difficult to tell what the real demand is in your area, because there may be just one new-grad job listing for an employer to which all new grads are expected to apply- and it may represent one or fifty openings, you can't tell. So the immediate job prospects for a new grad are hard to predict without talking to people in your area.

Once I had experience, have not had difficulty finding jobs when I needed to move or wanted to change specialties. The number of listings for experienced nurses in your area will give you an idea what the overall demand is like.

The "nursing shortage" concept is... misleading. Demographic trends suggest that total demand for nurses in the coming years will rise faster than nursing schools can currently meet, but that doesn't say much about any particular area or point in time or specialty. An experienced nurse willing to move anywhere and work any specialty will likely always be able to find a job, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll be able to find the job you want in the place you want to live.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Dec 15, 2015

There's more of a nursing job shortage. If you are willing to work any specialty and/ or relocate to a less desirable town or city, you should be able to find employment.

Otherwise, competition is fierce and it's not uncommon for employers to receive 1-200 resumes per position.

roser13, ASN, RN · Dec 15, 2015

Are there jobs for LPN's and RN 's because some people say there is a nursing shortage and some people that is a plan lie. Told by schools just to get more money without any hope for future new grads I know my grandma who is a LPN retired twice only to go back work can anyone tell me what the jobs are real like in 2015.

A plan lie? There is NO nursing shortage and fewer facilities are hiring LPN's. Plain truth, no lie.

AJJKRN · Dec 15, 2015

With the exception of rural areas, there is NO nursing shortage of new grads. I do believe however that there is a shortage of experienced nurses (along with huge bedside nursing retention issues) of almost every specialty!

HopefulRN7 · Dec 15, 2015

We are in desperate need of Pediatric nurses in New Hampshire- if anyone is in the area and looking to provide home care for some amazing little ones

WFXT - Severely disabled children affected by nursing shortage in NH - Story

nutella, MSN, RN · Dec 15, 2015

Hopeful - the reason why nurses do not take those jobs is that medicaid does not pay enough plus some of the work conditions in home care are rough.

PinayUSA · Dec 15, 2015

As with every job, there are pockets of surplus and pockets of shortage. Generally, the surpluses are in higher populated areas (urban) and the shortages in the less populated areas (rural). Look around at job postings for local facilities- are there many, are there few, do they state BSN preferred/required for RNs.

Yes this is what I have seen. Shortage in rural, and surplus in Urban area........

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Dec 15, 2015

Where I work there's a shortage in the acute care areas. ER, ICU, Telemetry...

There's also a shortage in LTC.

Overall there are more nurses than jobs.

Most of us are clustered in the med/surg middle.

LPNtoRNin2016OH, LPN · Dec 15, 2015

Depends on area --- Mine needs LPNs in LTC pretty bad right now (have actually seen a freaking sign on bonus), other than that, job market is normal. Experienced RNs are seeing sign on bonuses in L&D and ICU. I am in a mid size city, you can find a job, LPN/RN once you graduate, it just isn't where you want to end up most likely but I call that paying your dues not a job shortage.