First, I would like to congratulate all of the new grads who have been able to secure RN employment in this bleek economy. It is a tough market for a new grad RN. A "year experience required" or "not considering new grads at this time" is pretty much the norm. Heck, I even saw a job posting that read, "No new grads or nursing home RN." What?! So, even LTC RN are not wanted.
I have become so discouraged in my Job Search. I graduated this May with an ADN took my boards and passed on the first try, I also have a BA in Psychology. I know there are many of you who have been looking for a chance to get into nursing careers longer than myself. Being unemployed is really no joke. I haven't had a real sustainable job since I lost my full-time job in 2009. It has undoubtable been a very tough time being a single mother to a now seven year old.
Most employers want you to have that one year experience, but if everyone wants it who is going to give it? I say to people that I am an RN and they say, "Oh, what hospital do you work in?" I reply, "None!" People that hear this say they thought there was a great need for RNs because of the nursing shortage. I have to correct them and say there is no such thing. There is only a nursing job shortage.
What will happen when baby boomer nurses start to retire in droves and current new grad RNs with no experience give up on their dreams of being nurses move on to other career paths? Where will these facilities find their new workforce? In my opinion, there will indeed be a nursing shortage. So instead of waiting for that scenario, let them act now!
I have been a part of allnurses.com since entering nursing school. There has been a lot of great threads and comments on this site. I have read through many discouraged new grads postings and feel that instead of complaining about let us band together and make this a real public issue. We can be heard if our voices are numerous and loud.
I hope that I have made sence in this posting. Thanks for any comments.
