I haven't been able to post much recently, but lurk when I have the chance.
Today, I scheduled a lot of my school-required medical tests and appointments and was excited to start the day because, as unpleasant as the dentist and getting shots are, it's one step closer to school.
I'm sitting in the car after my second Hep B vaccine crying. Not because it hurt (it did, a little!) but because of the nurse I had.
After years of prereqs, applying to schools, visits, decisions, soul-searching and number crunching, I'm about to begin apply for hefty private loans- as a second degree student I don't qualify for a lot of federal aid- and borrow a huge chunk of money to realize my dream and start my program this summer.
When I handed the nurse who administered the shot my school form to sign, she said, "Uh-oh. I hope you get a job when you graduate." I smiled and said, "Me too." She continued on and on about how there's a shortage, but no one's hiring to fill the shortage and when they do hire they want someone with experience- but not too much. She said something along the lines of "They won't take grads right out of school. They want people with a year or two of experience under their belt. And then, you won't be making much money."
She mentioned she'd been out of nursing for 11 years (I didn't ask, but I assume raising a family) and that the Urgent Care center where I went was the only place that would hire, despite her extensive experience in hospitals/the ER. She's now making just $25 v. $35, etc., etc., etc.
I chose nursing because I want to help people and make enough money to pay off my loans and live. I'm not going into it hoping and believing I can lease a Mercedes when I get my first job.
I hope what I was dealing with was someone who is bitter about her own situation, but she also may have given me a healthy (but kind of rude) dose of how it really is out there in the job market now.
But, her comments suddenly made me question every single decision I've made in the past year. I know that no one can predict the future, but I'm suddenly extremely anxious about financing five zeros worth of school.
I'm sure there are tons of posts on this topic, so I'm sorry if this is a repeat. I'll go through them when I'm less emotional, but any words of wisdom, courage or advice?
Thank you all so much for your words of encouragement. And I really appreciate your honesty, ThatGuy & CrunchRN.
All industries are experiencing a downturn right now, including my current field, and I need to jump in with both feet with a (flexible) plan and just do the best I can.
Well, I'm a dude, and here's how I see it. You've got 2 options at this point.
1) You could work at McDonald's for the next 30 years, with "job security", while you keep on wondering whether or not you could have been a nurse.
2) You could quit worrying and stick to your goals. Let's think: if you don't get a job once you graduate, do you think you'll have to live in a tent for the rest of your life? Or you'll have to budget two extra months to hunt down a job in a different city?
Plus, if you don't want to be a nurse, what do you want to do?
The market's thickly saturated with lawyers, but do people still go to law school?
Do people still go to graduate school, even though the demand for professors is way lower than nurses?
And you don't think people in those programs take out even thicker student loans for the bleaker employment prospects?
Plus, if you can't get a job, you could just be a military nurse for a couple of years and they'll find a way to wipe out your loans in exchange.
You make adjustments based on your situation --- hypotheticals are useless.
While she was probably being a little overly pessimistic and bitter ... there was some truth in what she had to say. I think you know that, but have maybe not really thought about some of the possible hardships in concrete terms until now that it is all becoming very REAL for you and not just some FANTASY of a career that you've had.
I think things will improve in a couple of years -- but that doens't mean that nursing careers will be all smiles and sunshine in the future. You will face difficulties and may not get the "ideal" career you have dreamed of.
What concerns me most are your comments about taking out big student loans, etc. A lot of people are digging themselves into a deep hole of debt that they will never be able to repay. Please don't do that. Keep your debt level down to one you can manage -- even if it means progressing more slowly in school. Should you have trouble finding a job after graduation (which is very possible), that debt can grow and eventually crush you.
I have these same doubts about getting a job after I graduate but it's helped to propel me through nursing school and do what I can to set myself apart from the rest of my class.
I'm still a little worried though, I'll admit. Hopefully, I've done enough to set myself up for success.
I personally wouldn't be taking out a huge amount of loans for nursing right now. I know too many jobless new grads and have heard too many horror stories. I know in many areas, the number of nursing programs has almost doubled in the past ten years, and I just don't have a whole lot of faith that the situation for new grad nurses will get back to where it was 3-4 years ago. It might be easier to get a job in a couple of years, but I don't think it will be *easy*. But I'm not an economist.
A lot of the ADNs who can't get jobs are going straight into getting their BSNs, and many new grad ADNs and BSNs are spending their time getting lots of certifications and going through unpaid "new grad residencies" to boost their hours of clinical experience. It's scary to me that when I graduate (12/2012), there will be a bunch of people in the job market around the same time who have more certifications, more clinical hours, and are just generally more competitive applicants than a fresh-out-of-school new grad.
If you have no other option than an expensive school, I'd just focus on making yourself the most competitive job applicant you possibly can during school. Work part-time in patient care if you can, volunteer somewhere, get ACLS and PALS, etc..
If toy like "helping" others, there are many "helping" professions out there other than nursing.
Remember, "To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail."
Students jump into nursing thinking they will have job security and a good paying job once they graduate. It's not like that anymore. What's even worse is the sense of entitlement that so many graduates have--"Well, I worked so hard for this, I want my job." Ummm, what about the chemistry majors, the English majors, the math majors? The world doesn't OWE you anyhting. As a nurse, you may have to re-locate, do a stint in the army as a nurse, even volunteer (A word many hate to hear).
We can fault the nursing schools by producing too many graduates, the recession, closing hospitals, what have you. But if you let some naysayer push you around, wait till you get out there in the real world as a nurse. ANY hint of weakness, and you're toast.
To me, it sounds like another one of those miserable people that just wants to bring you down... i actually came across a b**** assistant today at the dentist, and she was telling me how i'll have no life as an RN. I didnt buy into it though because i know she's miserable (and im sick of negative down on their luck people always influencing my mood) I mean, working 3 12 hour shifts sounds pretty good to me! It ****** me off hearing dumb people talk like that, but they're miserable... really. She told me so herself!
Oh, and you can lease yourself that mercedes once you graduate!
I think because things were so good for the nursing profession for so long, nurses getting jobs as soon as they graduate, that we all got spoiled at the idea of how easy it would be to get a job. But in reality how many new grads in any profession get jobs right away? Many college grads in other fields don't get jobs for months to years in the profession that they went to school for. Some never use the degree that they earned. So it may take a little while to finally land a job, you WILL get one eventually and that's better than many college grads can say unfortunately. But you don't hear a bunch of people telling other college students not to go for their degree of choice because it may take 6 months to a year to get a job. Go for it and forget what other people say.
A couple years ago I was on this board reading all of the horror stories about new grads and the job market, while I was preparing to apply to nursing school. I ended up applying (as a second degree student like you..I have a BA, but I decide to get an ADN so I am not overloaded with more debt), and getting into nursing school. I am currently in my last semester. I spent the first year terrified about not getting a job at a hospital and ending up graduating with no job. I did eventually take a nursing assistant job at a hospital and just got promoted to nurse extern after 6 months. They have been very open about keeping me once I graduate. I am glad I didn't let the horror stories scare me, but I would definitely try very hard to start working in a hospital as soon as you can. I feel so much less nervous than many of my classmates because I have my foot in the door. Be a nurse because you WANT to, and ignore the rest of it. People tend to come on here because they are venting or upset about being unemployed but there are plenty of stories of new nurses finding jobs right after graduation. I work with at least 5 nurses that got hired in the past year, all new grads. The sad truth is, a lot of students don't work during school and those who do get offered the jobs first.
Thanks again to you all for all of your perspectives- on loans, job prospects, attitude, goals. I was able to take a couple of days and think & reflect about your advice, and advice from other nurse friends I talked to.
And, SamianQuazi, you made a lot of good points especially about hypotheticals being just what they are- hypotheticals.
Well, I'm a dude, and here's how I see it. You've got 2 options at this point.
1) You could work at McDonald's for the next 30 years, with "job security", while you keep on wondering whether or not you could have been a nurse.
2) You could quit worrying and stick to your goals. Let's think: if you don't get a job once you graduate, do you think you'll have to live in a tent for the rest of your life? Or you'll have to budget two extra months to hunt down a job in a different city?
Plus, if you don't want to be a nurse, what do you want to do?
The market's thickly saturated with lawyers, but do people still go to law school?
Do people still go to graduate school, even though the demand for professors is way lower than nurses?
And you don't think people in those programs take out even thicker student loans for the bleaker employment prospects?
Plus, if you can't get a job, you could just be a military nurse for a couple of years and they'll find a way to wipe out your loans in exchange.
You make adjustments based on your situation --- hypotheticals are useless.
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
I fully support y'all being nurses if that is what you want to do, but I will say again that taking on that kind of dept (?39k ) is INSANE!
Go to community college. Work full time until the last year of school. Graduate with little to no debt and the do an on-line BSN program later that your employer will most likely pay for..................
) is INSANE!
Samian Q
210 Posts
Well, I'm a dude, and here's how I see it. You've got 2 options at this point.
1) You could work at McDonald's for the next 30 years, with "job security", while you keep on wondering whether or not you could have been a nurse.
2) You could quit worrying and stick to your goals. Let's think: if you don't get a job once you graduate, do you think you'll have to live in a tent for the rest of your life? Or you'll have to budget two extra months to hunt down a job in a different city?
Plus, if you don't want to be a nurse, what do you want to do?
The market's thickly saturated with lawyers, but do people still go to law school?
Do people still go to graduate school, even though the demand for professors is way lower than nurses?
And you don't think people in those programs take out even thicker student loans for the bleaker employment prospects?
Plus, if you can't get a job, you could just be a military nurse for a couple of years and they'll find a way to wipe out your loans in exchange.
You make adjustments based on your situation --- hypotheticals are useless.
Have some self-confidence, sheesh!