I graduated in May 2009 and have not been able to secure a job yet. I have an ADN degree with a Bachelor's of Science in Marketing and a Master's in Traditional Oriental Medicine. I have ten years of experience diagnosing and treating patients as a licensed acupuncturist and have worked in several clinical environments with doctors and therapists in addition to alternative medicine practitioners. I am in my late thirties and have seen all of my colleagues from nursing school who are under 25 being hired without any patient care or life experience.
Is anyone else noticing this trend? I thought my diverse experience and age would be an asset. In school, we are always taught that nurses should be assertive, culturally competent and be able to apply critical thinking. These are skills that improve with age and practice. I believed spending 20+ years in customer service and medicine would give me an edge, but it seems to be a liability.
The other older graduates from my program were equally surprised to find that the local hospital where we attended clinicals seemed to prefer younger graduates.
Im having the same difficulty. it's been 4 months now jobless. I have some experience, but alas I didn't do that thing with orientation. I spoke. Now I'm jobless. Ive learned my lesson and learned it well. My preceptor basically decided she would screw me over and she has done it brilliantly. It's sad that nursing allows this to happen to it's people. I would like to think that eventually they will pay for it, but I know they won't. There will continue to be more and more nursing students, and new grads. And as long as managers support this kind of behavior they will continue ripping heads off like this is the Texas Chainsaw massacre. I have about a year of experience, ACLS cert, Telemetry experience and I'm hoping to apply for the new grad positions opening up soon, that lets you know how stiff the competition is. And believe me, even if my preceptor craps in my food, I won't say anything this time. Sorry. I have a son. What else can I do. (Nursing has defeated me.)
I have seen many ads out there that consider 6 months of training enough experience to be considered for positions (not a new grad anymore). It sounds like you have been trained, and that is what they do not want to pay for. Apply for a staff I nurse position, you will probably get it.
I have not seen one newspaper article addressing the over-surplus of nurses. No jobs. Stop lining up for nursing school. Unless you tell the media, things will only get worse.
I have not seen one newspaper article addressing the over-surplus of nurses. No jobs. Stop lining up for nursing school. Unless you tell the media, things will only get worse.
I am not sure of your point, here. This forum is for those who have already graduated. Is the lack of jobs our fault?
No it is not your fault. The hospitals have been advertising nursing shortage for over 10 years in order to flood the market. You are a victim as well as the rest of us. There are thousands of grads and existing nurses writing that they can't find jobs and have lost jobs and the poor working conditions. If all of you would write to your local newspapers, the word would get out and people would stop lining up for nursing school. As long as they continue flooding the market more and more and more, things will get worse and worse and worse. No jobs, salary decreases, poor working environment, hostile behavior between staff, managing with intimidation, etc. etc. The word needs to get out so people stop lining up for nursing school. And, yes, many will have to change careers who did graduate. How long will new nurses have to go without employment before they realize it's not ending. It's a rock solid problem.
Freeflowchi please do not hesitate to name the hospitals who are practicing age discrimination. maybe we can do a sting with the proper authorities, however they do have older nurses on staff so they might get away with it. The VA actually asks your birthday on their application. Oddly it is the older nurses who are quick with negative comments about age when they encounter an older student nurse. They are projecting their own burnt outness.
The recruiters want under 30 male bilingual. I wish my instructors had been honest about the age thing I made a huge investment that I could not really afford to throw away.
It should be made known to your legislators that we need a suspension of H1B visas. Just by letting them know how many of us there are over 30 or not. One could consider the armed services. I noticed that they were considering over 42 about a month ago.
Nursing schools, nursing instructors, etc., want your money. It is a business. Anyone enrollling in nursing school is providing job security for those who work at the school - PERIOD.
They are not going to discourage you.... They have families to feed, house payments, etc....
The only option people have for trying to get a job is to bid lower and lower. That is what is driving nursing salaries down, down, down - who will work for the least amount of money. If you are over 30, all you need to do is work for peanuts - they'll hire you.
One of the main reasons ALL of the hospitals hire younger is because they think the younger ones will bounce back quicker from any injuries they sustain on the job, and hopefully, won't get injured in the first place - as an older person could.... This is of course, b.s., it's all individual. I could be 40 and in better shape and smarter about how I move and what I lift than a 25 year old - - but, it is what it is.
Yes - if you are male - they want you!!! They want you to lift the heavy patients and at a cheap "new grad" price, of course. In fact, all the nurses on the floor will be asking for your help lifting. What the hospitals need are orderlies. Strong men who do nothing but lift heavy patients and get paid well for it. It is a need, it would provide jobs that don't require an education. Nurses would save their backs!
These orderlies could go from floor to floor as needed. They wouldn't have to be stationed on every unit 24/7. Just available in the hospital. I'd say at least 4 on staff 7a to 9p when most of the activity occurs?
Okay, I'm getting off track. But, yes, this is why they want male nurses.
I agree about the instructors. And everything else you said but due to my age I would probably have to pay them to hire me. But hey i shouldn't give them any ideas.
They used to have orderlies way back when. Does anyone remember why they were phased out?
They want male nurses for strength yet they will hire 5'1" young females before they hire an older/larger female.
Actually they are just like the health insurance industry they are going by actuarial tables and assuming you will actually use their benefits. The healthcare industry does not want to provide healthcare.
"I ultimately went with a totally functional resume that doesn't mention employers at all ("details available upon request") and was hired with that resume, albeit at a position which required substantial lowering of my wishes and expectations. I am now getting experience and earning money."
The Above poster said it well. there are other areas of nursing. LTC is a good place to get experience, It is also a pay check. I happen to love LTC and at this point in my life have no desire to submit myself to the abuse of the hospital system.
Correct. They don't want you using your benefits - and, as you get older they figure degenerative conditions set in. You being older - the discs in your back could look worse than a 25 year old. If you are both lifting a patient, yours could slip easier - that is where the discrimination comes in. Height really doesn't matter, they are going with age - it's the best they can gamble on. It shouldn't be allowed - but they get away with it. They should be required to hire so many from this age group, etc. That's the only way to stop age discrimination. It should be a law. The business has this many employees, you hire this many per year, this many new hires need to be over age 40, this many has to be minority, etc. If anyone out there knows how to get laws passed, please do. Thanks.
freeflowchi
63 Posts
I have seen many ads out there that consider 6 months of training enough experience to be considered for positions (not a new grad anymore). It sounds like you have been trained, and that is what they do not want to pay for. Apply for a staff I nurse position, you will probably get it.
Best of luck.