THE HYPE IS O V E R- THERE IS NO NURSING SHORTAGE.
Do your research as to where the future plans
of hospitals/health care facilities are going before you go into massive debt for
a nursing education. If debt is not a problem for you, then consider not putting all your eggs in one basket.
A LOT- of new grads on all levels, LPNs, ADNs, BSNs, MSNs
are having a difficult time finding jobs (or that "dream" job) in all types of health
care facilities. (Lets not forget the experienced nurses having just about the same difficulity finding a job)
I'm not discouraging anyone, BUT, PLEASE If I could leave everyone with some humble advice (which I'm taking as well:)
1. Please avoid loan debt to get your nursing degree to the best of your ability--especially PRIVATE LOAN
(ounce you graduate, sallie mae and her momma (or whoever you owe) will be blowing up your number to pay
her back (rightly so). But if you are one of the many who still haven't found a job 6-13 or more months
after graduating...well get ready to be harrased)
2. Network, network, network is a BIGGY when trying to land a job position. I can't stress this enough
3. Consider applying to other jobs if you're having a hard time landing a nurse position.
For example:
Telemetry monitor
Unit secretary
phlebotomist
medical assistant, etc.
I know those positions may not be appealing to nurses coming out of a demanding program, but you need to pay
your bills and care for yourself and/or family.
This economy is terrible right now.
Yes, there are nursing jobs, but its a catch-22 ( "you need experience" but yet they won't give you a chance)
I'm not claiming that a new grad won't find a job because some do right away- BUT, the majority of the new grads are struggle landing a job because the job market has too much SUPPLY not enough DEMAND.
It depends on your area, although Illinois might be a great place for new grads right now, Ican definitely share the OP's sentiment as I'm in an area where the sky is definitely falling. If I had taken out a loan for my program, I'd definitely be worried about repaying. I'm fortunate enough to be able to relocate to better areas but I know a lot of people who, a year out of nursing school, still aren't able to use their education to repay loans or support their families. So if the OP's warning doesn't do you any favors, it will very much help someone in a different area.
You know I agrre every area is different. Also I noticed taht you graduated with your LPN so point is every area is very different some areas RN's might have a hard time some places LPN's and so forth.. I also think the economy is bad everywhere so of course its going to be tough getting a job, it is for everyone. Life is always about taking risks and its better to be getting an education then dropping out of schoola nd saying oh well I probably wont get a job... I appreciate what you are trying to say but it might be better placed in the pre-nursing section because I severly doubt that anyone who had gotten to the point of getting accepted and starting their actual nursing program is not going to change their mind after getting to this point..
And not to mention if someone is just starting NS now for a BSN, that is 4 years of school. I may have some wishful thinking going on here but I hope the job market has turned around by then...or at least on a slight incline!
Not really. There have been recessions before - I graduated into one in 1990.
It ended. Just like previous ones did and just like this one will. We are already seeing signs of pressure on employers to start hiring. This has to build up for a while longer until a few actually start hiring then the rest will follow like lemmings.
Not really. There have been recessions before - I graduated into one in 1990.
It ended. Just like previous ones did and just like this one will. We are already seeing signs of pressure on employers to start hiring. This has to build up for a while longer until a few actually start hiring then the rest will follow like lemmings.
"We live in hard times, not end times."
-Jon Stewart
Yeah... this is what I've heard too. My instructor told me that she graduated in the eairly 80's and has seen 3 recession/hiring freezes in nursing. It's normal and it passes. People should be aware of this but I don't think they should let it affect their decision to go into nursing.
There will always be a need for nurses even during hiring freezes, people just need to be flexable to get their first jobs and experience. I agree that people should try and stay out of debt but, then again, there are many programs that offer loan forgiveness and as long as you don't go to a expensive 4-yr school, you can get a ADN for under 15k in some states.
I graduate in may and I will have racked up 14.5k in debt for my ADN (7k for tuition and 7k for books, living expenses, car insurance, ect)... thats not bad. I can continue on to my BSN through my local university which is all online, accredited and only another 10-15k. So thats only about 30k in debt and as a nurse, I can pay that off in no time!
Life is always about taking risks and its better to be getting an education then dropping out of schoola nd saying oh well I probably wont get a job...
Thank you!! Everyone needs to be realistic. Having said that, I don't really know anyone that is a new grad, or experienced for that matter in other industries right now having a grand old time with their job search. You hear the same thing from almost everyone, no jobs, no experience no jobs. I used to work in the legal field, my friends still in that field are having a hard time as well. I'm not worried. I had to take a job in another field when I graduated in the 90's until I got my first job. Took me several months and my first job sucked! If I gotta take my lumps as a new grad RN the way I took my lumps as a new grad paralegal, so be it. I did not go back to school expecting that someone would hand me a job as soon as I graduated. I totally agree, nothing in life is guaranteed. Life is about taking risks.
I would say to almost anyone, no matter the field that you want to get into, if you can avoid taking out massive loans, do that. Not just nursing, anything, because nothing is guaranteed. It may take you a while to get your foot in the door so the less debt you rack up, the better off you will be. I would not take out massive loans for any kind of degree at this point.
read all the posts....... I have the opportunity to either go for RT or LPN degree at local schools at an "almost free" cost... RT 3 yrs Lpn 1.... RN out of the question as waiting list after Pre Reqs are done is a maybe 2 years and list is so long and politics involved no chance. I am 48 M and in great health and I am going to live to be a 110 and work till 105 (NEVER KNOW). I really do not want to be confined to hospital and actually would like to travel... Suggestions thought ideas....... yes the 52k to 40k wage difference is on my mind.
I didn't read the OPs post as telling students to not contimue thier studies. It was just a reality check, obviously only for some.
I happen to be in an area where there is no shortage. There are many nursing programs in my area, and many new grads competing for the same jobs. Many of my new grads are working in non-traditional first-job settings (ie. not a hospital). I experienced the same thng as a new grad. It was very discouraging, but I eventually made my way into acute care, continued on with my schooling, and am right where I want to be now.
What's going on in nursing is exactly what is going on in the rest of the job market. Jobs are hard to come by. Employers are looking to make cuts wherever they can, and they can afford to be choosy with whom they hire (looking at degree levels, GOAs, prior hospital experience, etc). I've even heard credit scores are being looked at now (don't shoot the messenger, please ).
What does that mean for you guys? It means you cannot be choosy with who you work for. If you want your foot in the door, you take what you can get. if your potential emplyer asks you to do 100 sit ups in the interview, you do 110. You gotta keep your noses clean, get the highest grades you possible can (although many of you strive for that anyway), get yourslef right into a BSN program (if you are an AD grad), try to get an internship over the summer, a PT job in the hospital. Whatever it takes to make you more marketable than your fellow graduates.
Although the nursing shortage is a cyclical phenomenom, I have a feeling this cycle may take a while to go back on the upswing
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Not really. There have been recessions before - I graduated into one in 1990.
It ended. Just like previous ones did and just like this one will. We are already seeing signs of pressure on employers to start hiring. This has to build up for a while longer until a few actually start hiring then the rest will follow like lemmings.
"We live in hard times, not end times."
-Jon Stewart
I don't think in my state, California it will ever be a buyer's market in nursing jobs again. I graduated into nursing in 1976. Nurses have never gone begging for jobs - the worst thing that might happen in a recession would be that maybe you didn't get the shift at the hospital you wanted. A nurse could always get a job. Not so anymore.
I don't think in my state, California it will ever be a buyer's market in nursing jobs again. I graduated into nursing in 1976. Nurses never gone begging for jobs - the worst thing that might happen in a recession would be that maybe you didn't get the shift at the hospital you wanted. A nurse could always get a job. Not so anymore.
I wonder why you said "not so anymore" Has there not been bad economies before? Are there other mitigating factors that make an experienced nurse like you to say that? I think there are many reasons why I agree with you But if you might elaborate..........
THE HYPE IS O V E R- THERE IS NO NURSING SHORTAGE.
Do your research as to where the future plans
of hospitals/health care facilities are going before you go into massive debt for
a nursing education. If debt is not a problem for you, then consider not putting all your eggs in one basket.
A LOT- of new grads on all levels, LPNs, ADNs, BSNs, MSNs
are having a difficult time finding jobs (or that "dream" job) in all types of health
care facilities. (Lets not forget the experienced nurses having just about the same difficulity finding a job)
I'm not discouraging anyone, BUT, PLEASE If I could leave everyone with some humble advice (which I'm taking as well:)
1. Please avoid loan debt to get your nursing degree to the best of your ability--especially PRIVATE LOAN
(ounce you graduate, sallie mae and her momma (or whoever you owe) will be blowing up your number to pay
her back (rightly so). But if you are one of the many who still haven't found a job 6-13 or more months
after graduating...well get ready to be harrased)
2. Network, network, network is a BIGGY when trying to land a job position. I can't stress this enough
3. Consider applying to other jobs if you're having a hard time landing a nurse position.
For example:
Telemetry monitor
Unit secretary
phlebotomist
medical assistant, etc.
I know those positions may not be appealing to nurses coming out of a demanding program, but you need to pay
your bills and care for yourself and/or family.
This economy is terrible right now.
Yes, there are nursing jobs, but its a catch-22 ( "you need experience" but yet they won't give you a chance)
I'm not claiming that a new grad won't find a job because some do right away- BUT, the majority of the new grads are struggle landing a job because the job market has too much SUPPLY not enough DEMAND.
END OF STORY
First, thanks for the "heads up," but most of us already know this! All anyone has to do is to get on AN and it hits you in the face...
But, as with any employment area, it depends on your location. In my neck of the woods, Eastern Kentucky, there is no shortage of nurses! As a matter of fact, there are lots of openings for nurses, of all levels (LPN, ADN, BSN, etc.). Hospitals, LTC, doctor's offices, health departments, schools, prisons, etc. are all begging for nurses, even new grads.
And, as far as working as something other than a nurse, it would depend on the facility, because a lot of them won't allow you to work "below" your liscence (RN is a higher cert than MA). And, as far as working as a phlebotomist, in a lot of hospitals, you have to have that specific cert, just like any job...
). 
mspontiac
131 Posts
I am in Illinois.