No jobs for new grad nurses!

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As we all know, there are too many unemployed new grad nurses who can't find jobs. From all the research that I conducted, I gather that:

1) Nurses that should have retired are continuing to work.

2) Nurses who work part time are now working full time.

3) Nurses who left the field have returned.

4) The turnover is extremely low.

5) Hospitals are not hiring new grads because training is too costly.

6) Hospitals are hiring experienced foreign nurses.

7) Hospitals are only hiring experienced nurses and only filling positions for people that leave. Some positions remain open for a long period.

8) Hospitals are laying off experienced nurses.

9) Other funding constraints have caused hiring freezes.

10) A lot of people lost their insurance coverage, so they are not getting the procedures and surgeries that they would have.

11) Too many people went to nursing school in hopes of getting a stable job during the recession. Sometimes there are hundreds of applications for one position.

The bottom line is that there are too many nurses and not enough jobs. The media and nursing schools would like us to believe that there is a crisis of a nursing shortage and that anyone that completes a nursing program would be able to obtain a job easily. The sad part is that a shortage doesn't mean that jobs will be available. This is only temporary, but a lot of experts believe that the economy will get a lot worse before it becomes better.

My question is this, do we still continue to pursue a nursing degree being fully aware that the odds are against us? Do we take that risk knowing that it would be a major challenge to find work in this competitive environment? Nursing school involves a lot of money, time, sacrifice, and energy. What should we do? I'm having second thoughts of whether or not I should apply to nursing school. It could take years for this to turn around.

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New jobs seem to be hard to come by...

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Specializes in Geriatric Nursing.

I am a nurse here in the Phil. and it entails a lot of training before being hired...,.

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I agree that the economy will not get better, but will stabilize. People will shift to jobs that have a lower supply of applicants. Nursing was a lagging indicator. The economy tanked, then the east coast nurses got hit and it flowed to the west coast. It's likely that the economy will have to get better, then a year later, the hospital environment will improve and then demand for new grad nurses will improve.

I just graduated, and it's a pretty bad environment. I would advise people that aren't anticipating graduating for a few years to pursue nursing. It should be better within 4 to 5 years, just in time for graduation.

One should always chase one's passion so that there are no regrets.

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It's so heartbreaking to read about new grads' struggles. I realize that nurses aren't the only ones hurting right now. I can only imagine how frustrating it must feel to put yourself through school only to find out that you can't get a job and can't pay your bills while losing all the valuable skills that you just learned.

I agree that the situation could improve in 5 years. I read somewhere that it could take a decade for things to get stabilized again. This doesn't help me because the program I'm interested in is an accelerated direct entry master's program that only takes 16 months to complete- I should be done by the end of 2012. I've always wanted to be a nurse, but I've chosen to worst possible time to pursue my dream. I feel so conflicted.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

You cited the many of the reasons new graduates are not getting hired as easily as in the past, but that said there are new grads that are getting hired. We have 5 on my unit alone and I think hospital wide they hired maybe 75. Nursing is a good, flexible career and if you want to do it I would be realistic about maybe not landing your dream job immediately upon graduation and also recognize that most other college majors are probably facing the same exact thing. FWIW I also would not go into a great amount of debt or fall into the trap of thinking your education is an investment and therefore worth quitting your present job to "focus on school" while running up a ton of loans.

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You cited the many of the reasons new graduates are not getting hired as easily as in the past, but that said there are new grads that are getting hired. We have 5 on my unit alone and I think hospital wide they hired maybe 75. Nursing is a good, flexible career and if you want to do it I would be realistic about maybe not landing your dream job immediately upon graduation and also recognize that most other college majors are probably facing the same exact thing. FWIW I also would not go into a great amount of debt or fall into the trap of thinking your education is an investment and therefore worth quitting your present job to "focus on school" while running up a ton of loans.

It's good to hear that some places are still hiring new grads. This gives me hope.

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Specializes in RIPPED OFF BY NURSING SCHOOL.

WE WERE RECRUITED WITH ADS AND NEWS ARTICLES: BY NURSING ASSOCIATINS AND WEBSITES LIKE THIS --

NOTICE ALL THE NURSING SCHOOL ADVERTISMENTS ON THSI WEBSITE - EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW THERE ARE NO JOBS FOR THESE NEW GRADUATES?

NOT ONLY COLLEGE AGE PEOPLE WERE RECRUITED -- OLDER PEOPLE, PEOPLE FOR SECOND CAREERS AND NON TRADITIONAL STUDENTS, AND MEN WERE TARGETED ----

HOW MANY PEOPLE GAVE UP JOBS AND TOOK OUT LOANS TO ATTEND NURSING SCHOOL??

NOW ALL WE HAVE ARE LOAN PAYMETNS AND DEBT

IT SEEMS LIKE AN ORGAINZED DECISION AND COORDINATED EFFORT TO --- NOT HIRE NEW NURSES -

IS THAT WHAT THE UNIONS WANT? IS THAT WHAT THE NURSING ORGANIZATIONS ARE ADVOCATING FOR?

SO WHAT? :mad: ARE THE 2009 AND 2010 NURSES TO BE PASSED UP AND LEFT TO GO BANKRUPT

IS THE HEALHTCARE BILL PART OF THE PROBLEM?

I READ THEY WANT TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR FORIEGN "EXPERIENCED" NURES TO BECOME LICENSED IN THE US -

YES IT IS TRUE LOOK IT UP ONE OF OUR CURRENT PRESIDENTS IDEAS???

HOW ABOUT SOME STIMULUS MONEY DIVERTED TO HELP HOSPITALS FULLY STAFF AND HIRE AND TRAIN NEW NURSES.

WHERE ARE ALL THE NEWS REPORTS ABOUT THE JOB SHORTAGE FOR NEW NURSES THAT ARE BEING SHUT OUT OF THE JOB MARKET!

WRITE TO YOUR YOUR STATE REPS AND YOUR CONGRESSPERSON AND SENATORS, AND STATE NURSING ASSOCIATIONS AND NEWS ORGAINAZATIONS.

JOHNSON & JOHNSON CO IS STILL RUNNING ADS TO RECRUIT NURSES ---

HOW ABOUT AN AD TO ENCOURAGE THE HIRING OF NEW NURSES!

THE ONLY ONES WITH JOB SECURITY ARE THE NURSING SCHOOL EMPLOYEES.....

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Specializes in Marketing, Business Start-Ups, Nurse Entrepreneurs.

Lola 88 -- I feel your pain.

Let me add to this by saying: I attended a recent convention of a nursing organization. Orlando Health was at this convention trying to recruit nurses from out of state to come work at Orlando Health. There are at least 100+ new grads from Valencia, Seminole State and UCF every semester, combined. Orlando Health doesn't want to take on the new grads, the schools know new grads aren't getting positions and yet they continue to turn out grads. It seems very unethical and misleading in a big way. The hospitals know they have the new grad pool in Orlando, but recruit from out of state.

I recently did some research on the Florida Department of Health website. For every 100 licenses issued during one period of time, 70 that's SEVENTY, were from out of state applicants.

I do agree we should contact our congressmen, those who provide funding to hospitals who are now refusing to hire new grads after putting the advertisements, and telling us at orientation "I have never been without a job -- you are going into a great field for employment opportunities". They knew then that we wouldn't get hired and they know now that the new nurses they are turning out are not going to be employed.

The sad situation is that many have no income, charged up credit and student loans to get the education, and are unable to even get a call back, let alone the courtesy of an e-mail response.

Perhaps a letter writing campaign to nursing associations asking why they are perpetuating this lie against new grads and students that there are jobs out there. Perhaps hold these individuals and corporations to a higher standard of ethical behavior. I find it very disturbing that Orlando Health (and I'm sure many other hospitals as well) travel outside the state of Florida to recruit nurses rather than train the surplus of new grads they have right here.

Ask yourself where the funding for this non-profit hospital comes from and then contact those who are providing the funding -- ask them why the funds are not being used to train valuable graduate nurses who are now going to lose valuable training without being put into a position in the near future.

New grads, call the hospitals and tell them you're an RN. I got a lot of calls from nurse recruiters once I said I was an RN looking for a position. Once I told them I had no experience -- they gave me the "I'll look into your application and get back with you" -- there was no return phone call. The unprofessional behavior of our sister nurses is so disheartening. And nurse recruiters -- call your applicants or at the very least send them an e-mail. It feels like we've been disowned by our own organization and our profession. A profession that we have put a lot of time, effort and energy into -- the same time, effort and energy we're now asking for in return.

Sign me -- new grads can find jobs in Orlando -- there are many openings according to the rep I spoke to at the convention. (Obviously I didn't say that I was a new grad). Orlando just doesn't want to expend the time, effort or money to train us. Frustrated.

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Just trying to help.

Where are these unemployed RNs? I've been trying to save a few bucks by NOT going through temp/staffing agencies for nurses but can't seem to find any! Been looking for 2 weeks online and asking around the Berwyn, PA area. If you know of any colleagues that want an office environment and a jump start *(at least they'll get the corporate experience!) to corporate world of pharma, biotech, cro - then please do us both a favor and email me. Or give them my contact. I've tried craigslist but there aren't enough postings that even pickup the phone or answer emails! [email protected]

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My girlfriend just got her RN from Valencia Community College this Summer 2010 -

just passed the NCLEX and has been hired with a bonus from Dr. Phillips hospital.

She has never been a nurse before. That tells me there are jobs out there.

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My girlfriend just got her RN from Valencia Community College this Summer 2010 -

just passed the NCLEX and has been hired with a bonus from Dr. Phillips hospital.

She has never been a nurse before. That tells me there are jobs out there.

Thats called luck or your gf has an inside connection with a unit manager. Don't be so smug in thinking the other new nurses are not putting their best foot forward in their quest for a job. I hope your gf has that job offer and bonus in writing and pray really hard that its not the all popular "at will" contract she just signed.There are literally hundreds of hospitals in Florida that have promised jobs to new nurses only to renenge two weeks prior to the start date or use the at will contract to ditch them with 0 warning.

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