New Grads: Lets take action together!!

[aubrn]

New Grads, I just have a simple idea to help us all out of this situation where we cannot get jobs because no hospitals are hiring new graduates anymore.

I think if we ban together and get petitions going stating that since the hospitals or their employee's are black balling all new grads than when we do gain experience we surely will not work for those facilities and send these petitions to the CEO's of the hospital.

The only support from nurses we have is each other, so think about that when you can do something in the future and remember those who made this so difficult for us.

The hospitals need us more than they need them. We are the future, and if we are all angry because of being black balled by the nursing community that precedes us and won't work for the hospitals if they don't put a stop to this!

We need to speak loud and we need to stop begging like we are any lesser and demand a little respect. Remember what happened to us when we are in the power positions, whats good for the goose is good for the gander.

The problem isn't that there arent positions, I see the same position open for months rather than be filled by a new grad. We are being treated unfairly and stereotyped.

Hello, Im an RN too? A loud one that thinks if we unite we might have a chance.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

That's the thing though....hospitals don't need new grads at the moment. By the time they will, there will be thousands more in place. At some point, there will be a nursing shortage again. But many of the nurses who planned to retire aren't able to, and people keep enrolling in nursing schools. The jobs available are not matching the need.

Just keep applying. Eventually you will find something.

[magnoliophyte]

This is like trying to petition any other business to hire in the face of low demand. We have private healthcare industry--it operates like any other business. Businesses lay off and freeze hiring in recessions. With nursing, they scrutinize new-grad hiring since it's very expensive to do so. It's just the way it is because of the way we've built things. Recessions cause job loss, job loss causes health insurance loss, causes hospitals to lose money. So on and so on.

Having said that, though, it's not impossible. I and many of my classmates have found work.

You -will- find work if you just keep trying, and maybe employ some tactics that you haven't yet tried like networking or finding ways to meet in-person with people who have the power to hire you.

[Yuppers21]

Keep applying and keep an open mind. You may need to relocate to find a job quicker, or accept that it is going to be awhile before you are hired. This idea that new grads are entitled to jobs immediately after graduation is unrealistic and not the way to live your life. That kind of thinking does nothing to help your chances or spirit. You need to be realistic but hopeful; assertive and always looking for ways to improve your competitive edge. Finding someone or something to blame your unemployment on isn't very productive.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

We don't get "respect" without the experience. This is the society we live in - supply and demand, economics etc. There is no demand for new grads right now. That will change but probably not for years to come. Right now it is all about who you know and who you have made a good impression with. New grads ARE getting jobs. Just not the way they used to and pretty much having the same struggle as almost every other college grad out there right now. It is not like nursing new grads are unique in this struggle to find work.

Petitioning the CEOs or congress or other entities may get some media time and educate the US about the TRUE state of the nursing profession (ie: NO shortage), but it won't get jobs for the new grads. If the goal is to educate the nation, go for it. But if the goal is to get hired, this is probably the worst way to go about it.

[FocusRN]

I think the OPs point is not all hospitals are NOT hiring, so there is demand for RNs, but most hospitals are not hiring New Grads. And honestly it irks my nerves. All of the sudden with a down economy, although they still need nurses, New Grads are "too much of an investment", when 5-6 years ago, the were paying out the *ss in signon bonuses, relocation fees, and loan repayment for those New Grads. But now, it is "too much of an investment" just to give a New Grad a d*mn job.

And I ditto, what the OP said about positions being open for months. I called a nurse recruiter at a local hospital, about position that I had seen open for six months or better; and she told me point blank "We are not hiring new grads, the hospital would rather invest less in experienced nurses, right now. And to tell you the truth don't know when we will hire new grads again".

You can bet when things do turn around, and the nurses who are working just because they have to, go back how to be stay at home moms, and those they want to retire finally do, and those that really never liked nursing anyway leave for other fields; when all of the facilities are back on their knees, I will write them a letter just to let them know, the really shot themselves in the foot with this.

Draw up the petition, I'll sign it!

[slave_diverRN]

To the OP, I know you're not going to like this, and I will probably get some hate mail...but you need to hear this.

At this stage in your career, the hospital doesn't need YOU. As you might be aware, you NEED THEM. Trying to gather others to rally against a major employer in your area will only succeed in getting YOU blackballed...perhaps so badly you may need to move hundreds of miles away to find a job.

You seem to have a strong sense of entitlement...as somehow you feel a job should just be HANDED to you. Don't let this attitude come across in an interview....as you will be perceived as someone who feels ENTITLED to a paycheck without actually doing any of the work to EARN it. This attitude that our youth have today is a major irritant to employers. You must come across as someone willing to WORK HARD and GRATEFUL for an opportunity.

I can't stress enough how important this is for success in this sour economy.

Best of luck to you.

[TheDreamJourney]

I'm a post grad and have a BA in psychology. I think that it is hard to get a job in any field nowadays. I applied for months for a position in my field and no response. I had a great internship and lots of volunteer work. The economy is really bad. Now going to college does nothing for our generation. Experience has become everything to employers. One of my friends tried to apply to Dunkin Donuts and they even told her they were only hiring experienced workers lol! can you believe that. Anyway, it just seems like this has been happening everywhere. But I hope for the best..and you should too...keep your head up!

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

I think anger would be better directed at the nursing school recruiters who will talk until they're blue in the face about nursing shortages, recession-proof careers, etc. to get you to invest your student loan money in their program.

[AngelicDarkness]

I'd like to help!:) The hospital does need you despite above posters, why? Because each of us bring something new to the table! I'm an RPN, and right now I'm advocating for RPN new grads. I'm sorry, but if the hospital will open there doors to RN paid training positions for new grads in Canada, they can also offer the same deal to RPNs. I believe in a nursing shortage. Looking around in my city, we're so short staffed. We need nurses!

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

The big problem is money. New grad orientations/preceptorships cost a LOT of money for the facility. They are finishing what school didn't do (bummer for you).

If you can get someone who can hit the floor after a week, vs someone who needs 2-3 months with another nurse (costs 2 nurses for one set of patients), you take the one who can hit the floor running.

School ripped you off. None of these preceptorships were EVER done until maybe 10 years ago. Hospitals know this because they have to clean up the mess....it's just not cost effective.

Yes- it is very unfair for you. In the meantime, get ANY type of experience....it's not the end of the world to not get into a hospital at first- take what is there.

Also- whatever you say won't phase them since you aren't their employee. They'll just wait for the time when they do hire new grads- and take the ones who haven't complained about them.

It's really lousy and disappointing. But get what experience you can- that shows the willingness to do what ya gotta do, when you have a chance at getting into a hospital. :)

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Short handed does not mean shortage. Right now the hospitals are PURPOSEFULLY not filling positions with either experienced or inexperienced nurses. The economy sucks. They are taking advantage of that. There are tons of openings listed on hospital websites and through recruiters month after month after month. They have no intention of hiring, only maintaining the funds that were allocated to them through the corporate budget by keeping the position technically open, but not really.

The medical community is very political. You do NOT want to start making a nasty, entitled sounding stink the very minute you come out of the gate. Not if you want to work. It is counterproductive.