% of grads that are employed?

uRabbit · Jul 13, 2011

Anyone with any info?

Scrubmouse RN · Jul 13, 2011

As many people have said; it really depends on what part of the country you are in. I'm not sure about Idaho, but here in the Chicagoland area it is a very tight market for new grads. I have filled out dozens of applications and not received one single bite. Never in my working life have I filled so many applications without getting a single call back. If nursing is what you want to do then by all means go with it. It is not, however, recession proof. Many people are surprised that I am having such a tough time looking for work. I read an article somewhere that only 60% or less of new grads are gainfully employed. The economy is tough for every industry and it is very expensive for hospitals to invest in training new grads so they're tightening their belts as well.

Freedom42 · Jul 13, 2011

Some thoughts:

Are you referring to Carrington College in California? If so, the state of California has issued reports on the status of nursing and new grads, and it's not good. Worth a Google. The market there is reportedly extremely tight.

If you are seriously considering spending 45k for an associate's degree, I wonder how many other schools you've looked at. Granted, it's tough to get in anywhere in California. But 45k for a two-year degree seems mighty excessive.

Finally, I'd urge you to be leary of unaccredited schools. Although you might not have any interest now in furthering your degree beyond ASN, that could change in the future -- and then you're in trouble if you want to go to a school that won't accept graduates of unaccredited programs. You might find that a future employer will promote you on the basis of a higher degree, or offer to pay for one, and then you'd be in a bind. Might want to keep your options open.

uRabbit · Jul 13, 2011

Carrington is based in California, with campuses elsewhere. There is one here in Boise, used to be Apollo.

And yes, I am weary of the fact that it is unaccredited. Do not RN to BSN programmes take anyone with a current RN license?

I guess if I want to get the most out of my education and increase my employability, I need to go with an accredited BSN programme?

Man, oh man... Not looking good!

Freedom42 · Jul 13, 2011

No, RN-to-BSN programs do not necessarily accept you if you have a license but come from an unaccredited institution. The other problem is that if for whatever reason you're not happy with Carrington -- or you have to move -- credits from an unaccredted institution won't necessarily transfer, either.

uRabbit · Jul 13, 2011

True, they do not transfer. But I went to Carrington for Massage Therapy and loved it.

Well, now I am wondering if it is even worth going to school then. I would absolutely love to be an RN, but if I am going to spend over $45,000 on an education that may not get me employment, then it is a horrible idea... As a new grad, you've got nothing on nurses with experience. Sounds like I would be an idiot to go to school for something I want to do.

Looking into Dental Hygiene and Physician Assistant. Not appealing to me. They don't have the impact on peoples' lives like nurses do. And PA is more expensive for an Associates. "/

uRabbit · Jul 13, 2011

Okay. I am going to request information from CWI (College of Western Idaho) for their accredit ASN programme. BSU has a RB-BS programme that is also available as an online programme.

What I hope to get from this: ASN lands me a PT (pref FT) RN job, take BSU's course online, maybe get hired where I have my internship. This course will take so much longer, but will end up being better.

Hopefully after all that work I will be hired...

PediNurse3 · Jul 13, 2011

I don't have any statistics, but I will tell you...when I graduated, out of about 95 of us, there were probably 15-20 who didn't have jobs when we graduated. It was for a variety of reasons, some people didn't want the internships that were available, or that were offered to them, some people interviewed but weren't hired, some were planning on moving. I was fortunate to have worked throughout nursing school at a hospital that I (thought) wanted to stay at and was pretty much guaranteed to have a job upon graduation.

uRabbit · Jul 13, 2011

I don't have any statistics, but I will tell you...when I graduated, out of about 95 of us, there were probably 15-20 who didn't have jobs when we graduated. It was for a variety of reasons, some people didn't want the internships that were available, or that were offered to them, some people interviewed but weren't hired, some were planning on moving. I was fortunate to have worked throughout nursing school at a hospital that I (thought) wanted to stay at and was pretty much guaranteed to have a job upon graduation.

What did you do there? I don't believe there is any hospital that would hire anyone without experience. I have been working with developmentally disabled adults for five years now. :)

PediNurse3 · Jul 13, 2011

My junior year of nursing school I was a PCT, my senior year I was a nurse extern (could start IVs and insert NG tubes under the supervision of a RN). Most of the hospitals in Texas offer internships to new graduates with no nursing experience...they are about a 3-4 month program that consists of patient care with a preceptor and classes specific to the area (ICU, Med/surg, hemoc, etc).

uRabbit · Jul 13, 2011

My junior year of nursing school I was a PCT, my senior year I was a nurse extern (could start IVs and insert NG tubes under the supervision of a RN). Most of the hospitals in Texas offer internships to new graduates with no nursing experience...they are about a 3-4 month program that consists of patient care with a preceptor and classes specific to the area (ICU, Med/surg, hemoc, etc).

Ah, I see. Patient Care Technician is a CNA job, correct? I'd love to somehow strengthen my opportunities for post-grad, though I do have a minimum income I need to uphold.