Is this worth doing?

I am glad you are giving some serious thought to this decision. It appears you have a very realistic approach.

Hiring bonuses and relocation are gone for staff nurses. These percs still exist for hard-to-fill management and specialty positions but are much rarer than they used to be. The majority of nurses still work in hospitals, and these organizations have taken a major hit since the economy headed south in 2008. According to people I know who have a much better understanding of the implications of Health Care Reform - hospitals will continue to be under economic siege for the next 4 to 5 years as all the changes shake out. It will be difficult for independent hospitals to survive as reimbursement continues to drop and service requirements increase. We may have up to 25% fewer hospitals in 2015 than we do today - and they probably won't look the same since there will be enormous pressure to keep patients out of the acute care setting.

That being said - there will be increasing opportunities for nurses outside of acute care facilities as the US moves more into a capitated, preventative model. For instance, can you envision nurses staffing a CHF van - making rounds and administering IV lasix to home-bound cardiac patients in order to keep them out of the hospital??? That could very well happen.

As for wages - our (nursing) wages have actually decreased over the last 4 years since raises have not kept up with cost of living increases. Nursing wages are very compressed, with only ~ a 35% increase from year 1 to year 15 of experience.

States with population growth will continue to have increased nursing jobs available. Texas is one of the states with the highest projected growth since our economy remains pretty healthy. Here in Houston, I know of 4 new suburban facilities opening within the next 12 months. But I definitely take exception to any insults to rural Texas - that's God's country!!! LOL.

I agree with what you wrote. Sometimes I ask myself, though, if you knew that there was going to be a surplus of labor in a field (even accounting for attrition in nursing school and thereafter, which I think there will be), would you be so gung-ho on doing it? I agree that the economy is getting marginally better but personally, I have yet to see too many new grad spots open. The few that are open probably have a terrible ratio of applicants. I dunno. I'd love to do it but I have to admit that on paper, it looks like a terrible option right now. I suspect that the optimal time to have entered the field was 5-6 years ago when you at least could have got a job. Because, it seems now that if you have a job (and the experience that goes with having one), you can still do what you want, at least to an extent.

I am glad you are giving some serious thought to this decision. It appears you have a very realistic approach.

Hiring bonuses and relocation are gone for staff nurses. These percs still exist for hard-to-fill management and specialty positions but are much rarer than they used to be. The majority of nurses still work in hospitals, and these organizations have taken a major hit since the economy headed south in 2008. According to people I know who have a much better understanding of the implications of Health Care Reform - hospitals will continue to be under economic siege for the next 4 to 5 years as all the changes shake out. It will be difficult for independent hospitals to survive as reimbursement continues to drop and service requirements increase. We may have up to 25% fewer hospitals in 2015 than we do today - and they probably won't look the same since there will be enormous pressure to keep patients out of the acute care setting.

That being said - there will be increasing opportunities for nurses outside of acute care facilities as the US moves more into a capitated, preventative model. For instance, can you envision nurses staffing a CHF van - making rounds and administering IV lasix to home-bound cardiac patients in order to keep them out of the hospital??? That could very well happen.

As for wages - our (nursing) wages have actually decreased over the last 4 years since raises have not kept up with cost of living increases. Nursing wages are very compressed, with only ~ a 35% increase from year 1 to year 15 of experience.

States with population growth will continue to have increased nursing jobs available. Texas is one of the states with the highest projected growth since our economy remains pretty healthy. Here in Houston, I know of 4 new suburban facilities opening within the next 12 months. But I definitely take exception to any insults to rural Texas - that's God's country!!! LOL.

You are wise to contemplate these decisions beforehand. I know now that I have just graduated, there's no longer a nursing shortage and the economy probably has alot to do with that. I think it's the employers market right now and I cannot say how it will be in the future. I just got a job offer but it wasnt my ideal job but I'm taking it b/c of the loads of new grads applying. I havent seen a decrease in pay but rather a very slow increase in pay if at all. I know grads of 2008 and the hospitals are paying the same starting pay.

I think your comments are a case study why folks should not pay inflated tuition to go to nursing school. I had to bow out of an expensive nursing school (before I started) because I could not get a loan to go. It was very frustrating at the time but in hindsight, it may have been a good thing. There's only a handful of jobs left that are seeing any increases at all and in the medical field, they usually come with the initials M.D.

As much as I'd like to do it, I am very wary right now.

You are wise to contemplate these decisions beforehand. I know now that I have just graduated, there's no longer a nursing shortage and the economy probably has alot to do with that. I think it's the employers market right now and I cannot say how it will be in the future. I just got a job offer but it wasnt my ideal job but I'm taking it b/c of the loads of new grads applying. I havent seen a decrease in pay but rather a very slow increase in pay if at all. I know grads of 2008 and the hospitals are paying the same starting pay.

Well... if you don't go to nursing school... are you still going to go to school in another field? Because nursing is not the only field experiencing this. I think you take a risk no matter what. If you are currently working... and you stay where you're at and don't go to school you could be taking a risk. We don't know what the future holds. But I will say, that even with the current conditions, and the uncertainty ahead... I would do it all over again. Coz nursing is something I enjoy. And there are ways you can put yourself ahead of the other graduating nurses... since you know now that it could be difficult finding a job later. While you're in school, do your best to get a job as a tech, cna, or even unit secretary. And if you can't get a job, volunteer... meet lots of people, then eventually you will get something. Then when you are in nursing school, meet as many people as you can at your clinicals... and make an impression. Network yourself. Don't be like some of your classmates and stand around in the hallway chit-chatting... go the extra mile. One of my clinical instructors loved me and she got me an interview at the hospital she worked at part time... and I've used her as a reference for another position, which helped me land the job. There are grad nursing jobs out there right now... but the ones that are getting them are mostly those with connections and/or those that are already working at the hospital/facility in another position. You just have to decide how bad you really want to be a nurse.