New Grad Boston Rn's Making $55/hr??!!

Freedom42 · Feb 23, 2009

Absolutely I mean no offense, I was stunned by the fact that is hard to find a job in health care. I haven't been looking for a job in 4 years, so I wouldn't know. I just thought if it took me (someone with a Poli Sci. degree), 30 days to get a job, it shouldn't have been harder for a nurse. I guess I was mistaken. I guess I should keep my day job too if things are looking this bad.

As someone who graduated at the top of her class in December and has spent the past six months applying for 57 jobs in the Northeast, I assure you, there is little "fiction" to this. It is very difficult for new grads to find jobs in many if not most parts of the country right now. New grad programs have been eliminated in many instances. I don't think my story is different from many in that most of my job applications were not even acknowledged. I was urged by an ICU manager to apply for an internship that was eliminated at the last minute because so many veteran nurses are now looking for work. That ICU no longer has to "grow" its own.

Before you conclude that it "shouldn't have been harder for a nurse," you might want to read government reports about the status of nursing in this country. There are 600,000 licensed nurses who are not working in the United States. When the economy goes south, they go back to work -- and new grads are caught in the squeeze. The Boston situation, however, was bad long before the economy soured. There are numerous posts and news articles in this forum detailing that.

Your post is offensive, intentionally or not. I assume an MBA would do some market research before making career decisions -- or pronouncements in a public forum.

machsspass · Feb 23, 2009

wow, u're full of rage. Please don't be. I didn't mean to offend you or anyone else in this thread as a matter of fact. As a MBA grad. I did do my market comparison and research, that's why the more I read the forum, the more contradiction I run into. However, once again the whole sentence where a nurse should be able to get a job faster than someone with a BA is valid 100%. Specially in this economy. You know how many students who graduate with BA's are able to find jobs in their own field? Slim to none. Oh yeah and shall I mention that most of the law school grads. start out making $42K if lucky, if they get a job right after. I don't need a lecture on how bad the economy is, I run numbers for a living, but unlike "some" people I am not in it for the money. In 2 years I'll hopefully become a nurse practitioner, (that's the goal), there are plenty of hospitals who need good managers and administrators. I am not worried about finding a job, and neither should you. Be thankful that you choose a good major and you can make a difference in people's lives. After all, there are thousands of talented MDs who work longer hours than you do, went to more schooling, and are not making as much as they should. Tough, suck it up and GOOD LUCK!!!

Silverdragon102, BSN · Feb 23, 2009

Please Please can we have friendly debates and opinions

April, RN, BSN, RN · Feb 23, 2009

i did do my market comparison and research, that's why the more i read the forum, the more contradiction i run into. however, once again the whole sentence where a nurse should be able to get a job faster than someone with a ba is valid 100%. specially in this economy.
what contradiction are you running into? each semester, hundreds of nursing students graduate. however, because of the economy, hospitals are cutting positions. even if the unit could use an extra nurse or two, they just aren't hiring because of budget constraints. the few positions that are open are going to experienced nurses who decide to go back into nursing for the extra money. the new grads are being left with no jobs. why should nurses be able to get jobs fast than someone with a ba?
in 2 years i'll hopefully become a nurse practitioner, (that's the goal), there are plenty of hospitals who need good managers and administrators. i am not worried about finding a job, and neither should you.
just because hospitals need good managers, administrators, nurse practitioners, and even staff nurses does not mean that they are hiring them right now. how can you tell someone who has their rn and has applied for months with no luck to not worry about getting a job? they have to be worried!
after all, there are thousands of talented mds who work longer hours than you do, went to more schooling, and are not making as much as they should. tough, suck it up and good luck!!!
i don't see what this statement about mds has to do with the topic being discussed: the lack of nursing jobs available. no one said nursing school is harder than medical school.

telling people to suck it up doesn't change the current job market for nurses.

NeoPediRN · Feb 23, 2009

Zeppelin, just to let you know, if you don't have one year of experience on the floor as an RN you're not going to get hired as an NP anywhere. I have three friends who are going through this right now. It's great to have a Master's degree but the market is so competitive that it means nothing. You won't get hired for the admin piece if you don't have 3-5 years of the clinical piece. It's an employer's market around here and has been for almost a decade.

Job searching in this market has nothing to do with being "thankful." It's interesting someone with zero experience in the healthcare field has such a strong opinion on this subject. You won't understand it until you live it. Physicians are not having a difficult time finding employment because there are fewer candidates now than in the history of many medical schools, while nursing school are pumping out more grads than ever before to keep up with the "shortage." I'll be interested to see what your opinion is when you have to "suck it up" and tough it out for over a year. Hopefully you'll have a better attitude by then, because until you know what it's like to send out hundreds and hundreds of applications and have so much promise to keep hitting that brick wall, you can't possibly understand. It wears on you to the core...meanwhile life continues to go on, bills still need to be paid, and you fall further and further behind, all in the name of wanting to "make a difference in peoples' lives." You can run all the numbers you want and it doesn't change the fact that there are so many strong, solid, amazing candidates out there who are overlooked at every turn because they lack experience and there's no budget for the hospitals to grow them. A positive attitude is not enough to get you a job right now, in fact, not much is. I had potential employers trying like hell to create positions for me, I graduated Magna Cum Laude, I had three years of tech experience, many awards, and a wonderful attitude. NONE of it is enough, so I think what we're trying to say is that we don't appreciate someone who hasn't experienced this for herself preaching on this thread about how it's not that hard. Let me tell you, it IS that hard. Come back when you graduate and put yourself out there and share your experience then. A little rejection goes a long way. Until then you truly have nothing to contribute, and I'm not saying that to be rude. This economic crisis is dividing families and forcing nurses to relocate for a lot less pay and positions they don't love.

I really want to see research you found about the Boston nursing market. Please post it. Anyone who doubts how difficult the market is right now only has to look as far as the job postings on any hospital's website. At NSMC there are weeks between postings for nurses...Children's has had one position in the past month, MGH and Brigham and far more postings for ancillary positions than nursing...they outnumber the nursing ones by roughly 8:1. Tufts is only hiring per diem. These are all facts my friend, visible for anyone to see. I suggest you take a long hard look at the career sections of any hospital in MA before posting on here again.

machsspass · Feb 23, 2009

answer me this: why do people go to school then if there are no jobs out there"?

All I tried to do is try to get rid of the bad vibe going on in this thread. Give some hope to new grads. myself included. I feel bad you had to go through hell looking for a job, I was there 4 years ago. New college grad. without any experience, being turned away because of it. I survived and that gives me hope. My company just laid off 25 excellent Magna Cum Laude Ivy league educated attorneys, it is bad out there. It is awful, but again, when there is something you really want, there are no limits.

NeoPediRN · Feb 23, 2009

While that's all well and good for your experience it doesn't change that the job market for new grad nurses in the Boston area is extremely bleak. What you posted was not inspiring, it was petty and spiteful. Again, I want to see the research you claim to have. Please post links.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Feb 23, 2009

I personally think people go to school hoping when they qualify things may be different. For some it is a life long dream. From reading here and other state forums I think there are a lot of new grads that struggle to find work and as usually the catch 22 pops up. work=experience but most places ask for experience. Unfortunately finances do come into it

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Feb 23, 2009

I work in Boston and it is an Employers market here. Not a great market for new graduates. NP have an extra tough time finding employment. I don't know of any new graduate making $55.hr....heck the experienced nurses don't make that.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Feb 24, 2009

Closing for a time out

Can I please remind members that personal attacks will not be tolerated

Silverdragon102, BSN · Feb 26, 2009

Re opening thread. Can we please keep the thread civil and if you disagree with something please do not attack but keep it to a friendly debate

merit119 · Feb 28, 2009

I used to work at BIDMC as a PCT and I was told that the new nurses there make about high 20`s /h. I moved to LA area and just accepted a new grad position with pay rate in the low 30/ h + 4$ for night differential. I was really lucky, there is a huge competition for new grad jobs everywhere!!!!! I would recommend take whatever you get to start out!!!There is NO NEW GRAD SHORTAGE!!!!!good luck!!!!!