Memphis Area Job Outlook

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I started my clinicals in a ADN program in rual west TN this week. I am very concerned about how new grad jobs are drying up. How can a new grad get experience when everybody wants at least 1 year expereince or requires a BSN to do a residency program. I know there is a ressesion but the number of people needing care if anything continues to increase. What is going to happen when all of the nursing schools graduate nurses (BSN and ADN) that can not get a job. Why do hospitals not want new grads? :confused:

Are you basing your info on what you know or what you are reading on these boards? I have no doubt that in certain parts of the country, new grads are having a tough time finding jobs but not everywhere. If you look right now on job posting boards, there are jobs listed that accept new grads with an ADN. I am also in an ADN program. My classmates are finding jobs, internships, and externships. Are they all getting the areas they wanted? No. Is it taking a little longer than they thought? Yes. Are they having to work a little harder to find those jobs? Yes. I have also met several new grads at my clinicals. Did they get those jobs the second they graduated? No. BUT, they did within a few months. Are you going to graduate with a daytime, ICU job, with a sign-on bonus waiting for you? Nope! But if you are willing to work nights on a Med-Surg floor at the Med, you can find a job!!!

Why do hospitals not want new grads?

Because it's expensive to train them and they often leave their first job not long after starting it (1-2 years).

Specializes in Emergency, Case Management, Informatics.

Between Baptist, Methodist, VA, Delta, RMC, and St. Francis battling to recruit RN's (well, not so much RMC right now), the RN market in Memphis is very good. Methodist and Baptist will definitely take on new grads. Can't speak for the rural areas, however.

I have 12 applications on for methodist in a variety of positions and times, 7 on at baptist with the same variety, st francis, the med, and other clinics, behavioral health, and ltc in memphis, oxford, etc with only ONE call back that I missed but promptly returned. NO LUCK. What's getting me is, I have 9 years LPN experience. I take boards on the 4th of Feb. I have talked with nurse recruiters, dept supervisors, and human resources. I have been applying since november and I graduated in Dec. Hope you have more luck than me.

What are the people doing the hiring telling you? Hiring Freeze? Do you think that you will have a better response once you pass your exam?

They are not telling me anything. I don't get call backs. When I do call I get voicemails with no call backs. There was this one place that i called the nursing super and she told me about a position that might open up if her budget allows and they might look at hiring a new grad. She told me to watch for it and apply for it. She wrote my name down before I could say it a second time. I plan on calling her back on Monday since I just filled out the application and it's Saturday. Monday I will be on the phone AGAIN half of the day calling people.

Many hospitals post positions on their website yet they are not hiring!

I'm a recent BSN grad and have my license and I'm having no luck finding a job! Are there any hospitals in Memphis or the Memphis area that will hire new grads? I've applied at St. Francis (hospital & Bartlett campus), Baptist, The Med, Methodist (all locations) and have not received one call back! I've been looking for 2 weeks now and I'm SO discouraged. :confused: Any tips, advice or anything would be very much appreciated!

Specializes in med/surg, ICU,cathlab.

Sorry to hear of your difficulty finding employment as if nursing school wasn't stressful enough. I recently graduated may 09. I took boards in Sept and had several job offers in that same month from Med, Bap, Healthsouth n Meth.However, I began my application process months prior to testing. My advice is to be deligent. You will have to call those recruiters and stay on top of it because they have so much going on. I was told by several recruiters that they don't have a nursing shortage in fact they had more grads than they have positions. They are limited on the number of new nurses they want. St. Fran doesn't do new grads for straight employment. All new grads are required to apply for and complete their Versant program which requires you to sign a 2 yr contract. The med is struggling and quite often has hiring freezes but still does hire. I externed at St. Fran and Meth prior to graduating and that helped. I accepted a position at Meth Univ. Like previously stated, you may have to accept something not so desireable in order to get you foot in the door and once you are in things may open up. I will keep you in my prayers as well!

Hmmm.. I have also found it difficult to find a ton of luck with job hunting in Memphis. I live in Minnesota right now with the hubs but his job is relocating down to Memphis in November so I have been looking and applying everywhere. I did interview and get an offer at St. Francis but my true love is in Peds or the NICU so I am waiting out on Le Bonheur.. It is so hard to make such huge decisions right out of nursing school, though I know I am lucky to have received an offer. I just don't know if I will be able to last 18 wks and then the 2-year contract in an area that I don't feel meant to be in.. However, I know the Versant RN Residency is very prestigious, too many decisions!!!!! :-O

Do not work at St. Francis- Park. I spent the last eight months there for clinical and it was a horrible experience. The nurse to patient ratio on the floor I was on was sometimes as high as 9 to 1. The nurses there are leaving left and right due to how bad it is.

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