Nobody is hiring anymore. Am I making a BIG mistake starting NS now?

Nurses Career Support

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I was accepted into the B.S to BSN 1 year accelerated program in my area and initially I was extremely excited. From what everybody told me (mostly people outside of the nursing profession, of course), I would be in demand as a new graduate male nurse with a BSN. The school I am going to told us that hospitals in the Philly area would basically be banging at the doors of the school begging for access to us nursing students so they could sign us up. I feel like I've been duped. This is absolutely not to say that the only reason I got into nursing was because I thought I'd easily obtain a job. I have been inspired by many nurses close to me and dreamed to be a one myself for a long time. But I am taking a HUGE risk by attending this program. I am taking out nearly $60,000 in loans for this program, and I am also still in a good deal of debt from my previous 4 year degree. If I had known that there was actually a Nursing Surplus, I probably would have waited until my previous debts had been paid off and I had saved some money.

A male friend of mine who got his degree last year told me that absolutely nobody is hiring and he is working at a supermarket. Now that I am talking with more nurses I realize that this "shortage" is not due to lack of nurses, but hospitals cutting back intentionally. I start the program in 2 weeks and I am a nervous wreck. I may be setting up for a lifetime of debt. Scary...

Sorry, I just had to get that off my chest

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Specializes in Long term care-geriatrics.

There are jobs out there, but they may not be in your area or in the type of nursing you are interested in. Hospital Nursing is fine, but there is long term care, hospice, home health, public school, legal nursing etc. The area is wide open. Your friend may need to open him self up and go to another area or try a different area of nursing.

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Specializes in acute care.

It is not true that 'no one' is hiring. Places are still hiring, you just have to find them. They definitely aren't hiring new grads the way they used to, this is true. Now is the time to decide what you are willing to do to find employment as a nurse. Are you willing to relocate? Would you work in an LTC?

In this economy, I don't think it is wise to shell out that much money when you are still in debt from your previous degree. However, at the end of the day, it is your decision.

If you decide to pursue nursing, I would suggest that you start looking at hospitals now, look at their New Grad programs so you know NOW what their requirements are. Times are tough. When I saw that I was not going to get a job quickly in my area, I decided that I was willing to move anyway for a position. Thankfully, I did not have to leave my state, only relocate a few hours away, but I'm starting out on half what RNs make in my hometown.

But you know what? I have a job.

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There are jobs out there, but they may not be in your area or in the type of nursing you are interested in. Hospital Nursing is fine, but there is long term care, hospice, home health, public school, legal nursing etc. The area is wide open. Your friend may need to open him self up and go to another area or try a different area of nursing.

Great advice. Sometimes you have to do what you gotta do, in order to do what you want to do! In other wordsm it's best to start somewhere as a nurse, anywhere, as long as you can put that official first RN experience on your resume. It's better to have A RN experience than none at all.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

If it weren't for you financial situation, I would say to go ahead and start school if nursing is the career you really want. Most experts think the job market for nurses will improve a bit over the next few years -- and while you may struggle to find a good job immediately after graduation, you should be able to survive those struggles and settle into a successful nursing career eventually.

However ... given your financial situation ... I think you should delay your entry into nursing school and pay off your old student debt before you take on any more. This economy (and nursing job market) is risky and I don't think it is wise to take on so much debt in an economy in which you might struggle for a few years to find a good job.

Live really cheap ... pay off that old loan ... save up some money ... THEN begin a new career if it still looks attractive to you.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

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Yes, their are jobs out there. keep your options open. Sometimes you have to work in a setting that you may not initially like. However, it can lead to other opportunities. These are not the times to be picky. Just get out there and work.

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Something to consider is that if your debt is very high then you will be limited to living in certain areas of the country where nurses are paid higher salaries. With over 60k in SL you will not be able to live and pay back your loans in some $20/hour new grad position. Right away you will have to make a high salary and you still may need a second job or work a lot of OT to be comfortable. This might make your Job Search difficult. It's something to think about if moving to areas where hospitals are hiring new grads is going to be one of your options post-graduation. Are there CC programs where you live? It will take longer to finish but if no one is hiring now then what's the rush? Maybe the job market will improve in 2-3 years and you won't have to take out that huge loan.

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I've read a lot about places not hiring but I've never seen it. I'm sure the employment situation isn't as good as everyone hopes but every single hospital in my area is still hiring nurses - yes, new grads as well - and go above and beyond to try to recruit students from my school. 98% of the most recent graduating class from my university had job offers at graduation. Nine medical centers, including the Mayo Clinic, will be at a career fair sponsored by my school in a few weeks (and the Mayo Clinic is pretty far from us). I guess this must be an exceptional area for nursing (outside of Chicago) if job prospects aren't as good elsewhere. Nursing is still an exceptional career, nurses will always be in demand and nurses are being hired all the time. That's the truth.

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Couple of thoughts:

1) I don't think being a male matters all that much.

2) $60,000 is way too much debt to earn an RN salary. I did a 14-month accelerated program at a community college for $4,000. An RN is just not worth that kind of money...

3) If you didn't do the RN where would you work? If "no one is hiring" - crawl in a hole and go to sleep for the next 5 years. An RN is still the best degree short of an MD in this market for finding a job - you would be hard-pressed to find another career with better prospects...

At the end of the day, nobody is "duping" you. It is all on you, buddy.

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Specializes in Tele Step Down, Oncology, ICU, Med/Surg.

It's a tough economic climate to start an accelerated program at a private $$$ college. And definitely don't come to the West Coast as a new grad RN because there are thousands of New Grads applying for a handful of positions.

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Specializes in pediatrics.

I graduated 3 years ago, and would have to agree completely wlth your observations. .there is a huge glut of nurses in my region (upper Midwest) as well. Nurses that have graduated at the top of their class have been unable to find full time work. A good friend of mine was without a nursing job for a year after graduation, and is now working on a reservation - no bennies. Pay is poor in my area for new RNs - some starting at less than $20 per hour. One area that I would suggest for you to explore is dialysis. This is a growing area of need, and you could start there as a tech (inserting needles in patients even), and then at some point, you could continue on with your education to become an RN, AND the tech experience would look awesome on a resume. Just a thought. . better than having that RN degree and working in a supermarket!

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, M/S.

Considering your debt load, I would not recommend aquiring more. As stated before, beginning rn wages are not enough....if you can even find a job.

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