NO jobs for new nurses, I may quit school.

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello Everyone,

I need some advise and I don't care if you are a seasoned or new nurse. I am wondering if I should quit nursing school because something that was supposed be a secure job is now in jeapardy by the economy. I have been hearing so much about a how New Grads can't get jobs. I mean is there even really a shortage? New nurses can't keep being put off because of experience, how else is a new nurse to get experience? I am wondering if I should do something else instead of wasting time and money on a profession where I won't get a job. Student loans intrests rates are creeping up more and more. So what does a person do? When a new nurse graduates he/she has six months after graduation, and deferring isn't always the answer. Some of us don't want to be in debt for the rest of our lives while we wait to see what the job market is doing to a profession that NO ONE can do without. I have heard some people say this to shall pass, but when? If anyone could shine some light on this I would be eternally grateful, as I don't want to give up because this is all I could ever see myself doing. I guess at this point I am just looking for encouragment or if I should change my major. Thanks:mad:

EVERY job out there has cut back and have people doing more work than before. I went from hating to much overtime down to 32 hours a week for a LONG time. It got so bad I had to go into my plant managers office and straight up tell him I did not put in for this job to work less than 40 hours a week. I realized I would have to work some overtime when I took the job. However me working 32 hours just so you DON'T have to file unemployment is screwing me over and hurting my family now. So either start giving me 40 or lay me off. I am not playing this game. He got me 40 hours from there on out.

So its just a bad time. There's a lot of excuses as to why not hiring. I can list them all in 2 hours on my break. It will get better. Also, my wife is starting school and I'm very supportive and I am after her when she gets benefits.

Specializes in Education.

This is a difficult issue and at the moment in an international trend... within New Zealand the economy has meant that even our students are graduating with an unsurity around whether or not they will gain employment once they are registered. There is definately a nursing shortage and has been for a long long time. I believe the issue is that as nursing are front-line staff... by management cutting staffing numbers due to budgeting cuts ... whether real or imagine... then the public will complain and put pressure on the governments to give the health boards more money... but we all know they often don't use this money to employ more nurses but often more managers. For yourself my advice would be you need to weigh up the positives and negatives of continuing with your training and choose the path where you experience the least amount of "pain"... cause in the current environment nobody knows what the economy is going to do... or its impact on nursing.

Specializes in ICU, Informatics.

Don't quit- period. Even the best reason that has been stated on this thread ("quit if you think nursing isn't right for you") is bogus. You can't possibly know if nursing isn't right for you at this point in your career- in fact, no one can. Think about how broad the profession is. You can work in schools (elementary, middle, high school, or collage), you can teach, you can do a million different things in the hospital, work in LTC, government... or if you never wanted to see another sick person for the rest of your life you could find jobs that fit that personality.

Get your degree, give it a few years, and then reconsider. Don't throw away your hard work

Everyone wants security for all the hard work that you put into any career. Nursing being my second career I often wonder about this myself. However, with the economy I have learned that all careers are suffering right now.

Companies are in a position that they realize they can get more for less, more work with less employees, brings about less expenses with payroll for them so unfornately many are hiring less, and giving less if any overtime pay.

However, I have come to realize I decided to change careers to have more security that was my main reasons for wanting to go into nursing. I have decided to move forward with nursing reason being is that I am sure just as everyone else eventually I will get to the place I want to be at if I am consistent and persistent.

No one can make that choice for you unfornately, but I will say that if you would have asked me the same question about accounting I most likely would feel the same way you feel now.

OP, if I were at your place in time right now, I just might slow things down a bit.

I have MANY friends who are now in financial dire straits because they "loaned up" and there are no jobs at all on the horizon. I fortunately paid cash. I saved for years prior to entering nursing school so I don't have the added burden of those loans coming due on top of trying to just put food on the table.

What a rotten state nursing is in. I had an instructor/friend tell me that working on the floor right now is like Apocalypse Now (the movie) where all the outposts are in total anarchy... LOL. She says in the past 4 years nursing has turned into a nightmare. Those that are in it are so overworked and they just cannot wait to get out. I wonder too what will happen. If I were in the very beginning, wondering if I should or should not.... I would not, I would work, take prereqs slowly... and wait. If I had that all complete, I would not pull the trigger. I would wait to see what happens in healthcare. Wanting to be a nurse is great. Being bankrupt is not.

Specializes in Med-Surg.

come to canada.. we have jobs :) just need to write the CRNE.

Even here jobs are sporifice but if you are willing to travel they are desperate for ppl up north

In the end, it is quite true that only you can answer the question you have posed. But that said, in order for you to make an informed decision I would suggest that you need to do some research.

Are the hospitals in your city currently willing to train/hire new grads? In your county? In your state? Are you willing to relocate?

Are you agreeable to working in a non-hospital environment if need be? Are there any jobs open within an acceptable distance assuming the answer is yes.

Do you own a home? If so, and you sold it to relocate, is it likely that you will get for it what you owe?

How much debt will you incur for your nursing education and living expenses? $10K? 30K? 60K? Are you the type of person who can be comfortable with $60,000 loan to obtain a job that only starts at say 45K?

Has your state's RN graduate numbers increased over the past 5 years by 10%? 30% 50%? What is the ratio of RNs to 10,000 population for your state. Is it in the top 10 or the bottom? Would you be willing to relocate to one of the states with fewer RNs?

See what I mean? Obtain plenty of OBJECTIVE information and THEN make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and preferences. Be thoughtful and creative in your information gathering. Dare I say, use critical thinking skills.

One more thought along the critical thinking line......make sure that you understand there are those who have vested interests in keeping the supply of nurses high and the seats in nursing schools filled. Take their opinions with a huge grain of salt.

Here is my opinion for what it's worth. If you are in an area which is not hiring new grads currently and you are unwilling or unable to relocate I would expect that the present circumstances will not change for a MINIMUM of 3 years and more likely than not for the next 5-10 years.

Nurse leaders/educators who sugar coat the employment outlook should be reminded politely but firmly that their previous prognostications have been DEAD WRONG and thousands of unemployed graduate nurses will attest to that fact.

Thanks to Everyone for the Answer, but I think I didn't put it the right way. ALL I WANT TO DO IS BE A NURSE!!! Since I was a little girl. It's just that It has been a very long road finishing up my pre-reqs. I will be finished nxt year. not to mention that I couldn't get started until I was 30 yrs old. I finished in 2006 with a A.S. degree. But that was only cause I was sabotaged by a family member When I was excepted to the first nursing program. ( I know sad huh). I am pursuing my BSN, but with all that I have been through I am hoping that I can find a job after all the crazy obstacles.

I don't have a problem taking working any dept.or any shift for that matter, and I have already relocated from Eas Coast to Hawaii I just hope there will be a job for me once I am finished. I want my degree regardless. I am going to work for it, but wow! tuition is starting to kick me in the rear. I am going to put up the fight. I hope it's worth it. Thanks everyone.:)

Specializes in ICU, Trauma, CCT,Emergency, Flight, OR Nursing.

Sorry to hear about the troubles you are facing.

When I started out as a student nurse in 1992, I certainly did not go into nursing for money or even knowing that I'd get a job when I graduated. It was just something that I was passionate about doing and as a student, I knew I was on the right track.

My biggest concern with so many new nurses and those who are considering Nursing as a career, is that $$$$ signs are playing too big a role in those individuals career choice. There is no gaurentee that nursing will continue to pay the high salaries that it has been paying in the last 8-10 years.Now that the shortage is not as bad as everyone thought, there will not be many job openings posted.This will mean that salaries will plateau and increases will be negligible (at least as long as this recession lasts).

If you are TRUELY passionate about nursing ,as a vocation, profession and life long career choice, I say go for it and give it and your patients you best.Sure you might not be able to get in to a highly desired ER or ICU position , you may not even be able to get a position in an acute care hospital.Apply for an grab ANY RN position that comes your way and work hard and learn what it means to be a nurse in the fullest sense. Then when a position opens up , apply for it and if you have made your resume and experience desirable to any employer, you'll be rewarded.

Lots of great advice been given by various colleagues here which you should definitely take note of.

Best of Luck!

Thanks to Everyone for the Answer, but I think I didn't put it the right way.

Yup, I guess that line in your descriptive title "I may quit school" may have confused me a bit.:coollook:

awww hugs...

i'd say keep on trying. I've been a year old, no job.. pretty sad.. but you can always move. its not like there are zero job, its whether you are willing to relocate.

i know i cant find a job bc i'm too stubborn to move. but if you're willing..

Jobs are scarce in most fields, not just nursing. It's not just new nurses having a hard time finding jobs, it millions of people of all experience levels in many different fields. Don't let the crap economic situation we are in change your dream. Our economy is constantly changing and it will eventually rebound.

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