Nursing is a second career for me - one that I took up because at the start of the recession, jobs in my old profession - engineering - just weren't available in my area.
Got my ADN, and have worked for a few LTC places since, because hospitals here simply won't hire RN's with only an AD. There may be a nursing shortage nationwide, but locally, there's a glut. Have thought about going for my BSN, but honestly, I'm already in my upper 50's, and already getting burned out on nursing. I would have never worked to get my ADN, if I knew this was what awaited me.
I don't really expect any magic answers, but thanks for letting me vent.
Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
Look into Private Duty Nursing.
I like the one-on-one relationship that I'm able to develop with a patient. The pay isn't always as good as hospital pay (particularly the Medicaid cases), and it's not something I ever considered doing, but I've been happy with it.
Answer to what? What is the question? Is there an easy job that pays a lot of money? Not that I know of. What did you think "awaited" you with an ADN? Nothing is "waiting" for anyone. You go get the required education then you go get the job. I don't know what the question is? I am not even sure what you are venting about? That YOUmade the wrong career choice? If you need to vent about that do it to a mirror.
If you read the OPs post carefully, it is clear he expressed that he/she is venting. It's an online, public, anonymous forum, an excellent place to vent, which is encouraged here. Maybe you need to vent about something, as sounds like you have a chip on your shoulder...
Have you considered home health? Per diem of course.
I've talked to many nurses who work at my hospital part time and do home health per diem. One in particular loves the flexibility and the hours. (She makes her own schedule with her patients) and you have the right to refuse assignments.
I plan on doing home health per diem and work at my hospital per diem while getting my bachelors.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Baby boomers simply are not retiring like anticipated. That is a fact. Before 2008, you might have counted on that. But so many saw their retirement plans gutted by the deep recession that they are forced to work beyond the age they thought they would. I would not count on baby boomers retiring en masse for several years. There is no shortage nationwide. Anyone telling you otherwise is not telling the whole story. Sure, there are pockets in the country where there may be shortages, but usually that is for good reason.
What there IS a shortage of is, positions where nurses are respected, treated like the professionals they are and that pay fairly.
Sorry this happened to you. I feel for new grads cause many of them have been "had" by the "sky-is-falling nursing shortage" proclaimed by the ANA, nursing schools who only want to pad their bottom line$, and others.
Keep looking around, casting a wide net and hopefully you will find something that works. Best wishes to you.
Yep I wish I was retiring sooner but I'll probably try to stick with it til age 67 which won't be until 2027. I think a lot of 50 something's feel the way I do. I want to maximize my retirement income since I'm hoping to make it well into my 80s and I am healthy!
You can have the best of both worlds. I am second career and I did it about the same time as you did and with an ADN and my first degree is engineering too. I was lucky though I got to the hospital (that magnet ones before they required BSNs). I learned that I like Nursing too!
Yes, there is a need for nurses, more than there are needs for the other professions, engineering included. I am active in both, I work both. You have to be in both to be able to tell there is indeed a shortage type of need.
If you went to Nursing for the wrong reasons, and you have a highly marketable skill (engineering) that is your passion, then go back to it. What kind of engineering? Virtually all fields of engineering is now back in demand. Find a good recruiter who will present your resume. Try a contract-to-hire.
At this stage of my life, I find that further education will not yield me the best results. I just go for certifications.
Yes, engineering does pay a lot more money than any type of ADN or BSN specialty or MN or MSN, the starting is higher and the ceiling pay is higher. And it is back in high demand. Job is easier than Nursing in terms of physical demand. People do not necessarily go into Nursing simply for the good pay as there are other fields that pay more. Software is one. OP is probably just at low point in his life and he is just venting to his new found RN colleagues. Not a crime in my book.
Nursing is my third career. First was the oil patch. Then I went into engineering and worked in semiconductors. The ups and downs of that industry were frustrating. So I switched to nursing for the stability of a job that didn't depend nearly as much on the whims of markets.
During clinicals I looked at areas and decided which I would enjoy, which I could live with, and the ones that I could not tolerate. For me, LTC and PICU/NICU were out. PACU was my dream job and I was lucky to be able to go straight into a PACU after passing boards. Orientation was intense, some days was like drinking from the fire hose. But I survived, then thrived.
I'm now working at a great facility but it took 6 months of checking before an opening was posted. Find the place you want to work and then check for postings weekly.
Check out the specialties area on Allnurses. It is a great way to find out a little about different areas of nursing. My wife is a case manager and she loves it. Her job would drive me crazy but it is a short drive anyway. However, she actually works from home and makes just a few home visits.
You may be able to complete your career with an AD. However, the wind is blowing towards BSN and several large employers in my area are only hiring BSN and above. Some employers pay for or reimburse for classes towards a BSN. You still have to do the work but at least you take on little to no debt.
I hope you're able to find an area of nursing that is a good fit. My past experience makes me valuable on my unit since I've been able to fix several pieces of equipment instead of waiting days for maintenance to get around to our work order.
If your thinking of getting your bachelors which might open up a few more doors for you look into wgu. It's very affordable and it's go at your own pace so many have competed it in 6 months to a year. There are so many opportunities in nursing. I think working in ltc would burn me out too.
I'm sorry, but you live in Indiana and cannot find a nursing or engineering job?? Where exactly do you live in Indiana? I live here and there are tons of places that hire ADNs. Magnet status hospitals just need RNs. They drop the LPNs. That is what happened in my town here. The one hospital is going for magnet status so they fired the LPNs in June and hired all RNs. Most of them ASN-RNs. The Indianapolis area hospitals also hire ASN-RNs. I have seen one job posting that said BSN required. One. Our other local hospital has LPNs working the floor also. I know this because every nurse that I worked with in clinical last semester was a LPN. My friends that graduated the LPN program at my school each had several job offers before even taking the NCLEX. With Purdue being here, lots of people graduate with Engineering degrees and I have met many who have jobs. I have not met any out of work engineers in this area.
Do you have a good resume and do you interview well? I don't know exactly where you live in Indiana but there are many jobs to be had here working a hospital as an ASN-RN. Have you applied for many jobs? I'm just asking these questions to try and get you thinking about how much effort has really been put in to finding a job around here because there are many to be had. One of the hospitals in a city very close to mine needs RNs so badly right now they are paying their current ones $350 incentive bonuses for each shift they work. The RNs at this hospital are making close to $850 a shift. A shift. This is because they are so understaffed right now. I was told I could work only weekends if I wanted and make an entire weeks pay working for just 24 hours on weekends that this person is doing that right now.
Did you graduate from a relatively good school and not one of those for profit schools? Graduating from one of those places will get your resume in the trash immediately with most places. I'm hoping you did not go to one of those. Let me know where you are at and maybe I can direct you to places that are in need of nurses here. I'm surprised you ended up in LTC.
brillohead, ADN, RN
1,781 Posts
Look into Private Duty Nursing.
I like the one-on-one relationship that I'm able to develop with a patient. The pay isn't always as good as hospital pay (particularly the Medicaid cases), and it's not something I ever considered doing, but I've been happy with it.