Nursing Education and the Recession - Tough Economic Times

oramar · Jun 12, 2009

I wonder at which school or university she works. What good is it "packing students in like sardines" when the ones that just graduated don't have jobs?

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Jun 13, 2009

The point was not increased enrollment, Oramar - enrollment is the same. To save money, classes are doubled up, instead of being broken up into two sections. These huge classes make a difficult learning environment.

oramar · Jun 13, 2009

The point was not increased enrollment, Oramar - enrollment is the same. To save money, classes are doubled up, instead of being broken up into two sections. These huge classes make a difficult learning environment.

Oh OK, I missed that. Sorry, took it the wrong way. Thought they had doubled their enrollment because nursing is supposed to be a "recession proof career".

Moogie · Jun 13, 2009

I'm glad I quit teaching. The salary was horrible, considering the hours that I worked, and I cannot imagine the stress of school cutbacks like the OP has stated.

Pray tell, how are the schools of nursing going to pay faculty members more (as per the Nursing Education act in Congress now) if they can't afford basic supplies such as photocopies?

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Jun 13, 2009

I'm glad I quit teaching. The salary was horrible, considering the hours that I worked, and I cannot imagine the stress of school cutbacks like the OP has stated.
Pray tell, how are the schools of nursing going to pay faculty members more (as per the Nursing Education act in Congress now) if they can't afford basic supplies such as photocopies?

I actually love my job. I just think it's very sad that our state expects its employees to shoulder the burden for the budget crisis. I cannot describe the emotions felt by being made to "give back" part of one's salary. (BTW, the state judges - who make tons more than the average state employee - somehow "opted out" of this requirement.) It's not just the universities and community colleges. The NC public schools - which already rank in the low 40's among the states - are now laying off teachers and increasing classroom sizes. The public schools are critically short on supplies.

All of these cutbacks to education (whether in the public schools, community colleges, or universities) compromise our future - our children. Our young people will have less opportunity to acquire marketable job skills and many will end up being unemployed, underemployed, or on public assistance. Thus, in the end, the state will pay out much more $$$$ and collect less money in taxes from productive, working adults by shortchanging education. Penny wise and pound foolish.

jpeters84 · Jun 13, 2009

I think that it is ridiculous that state employees are made to give back part of their salary. As a nursing student I know how hard nursing professors work, how little appreciation they get for their work, how little they get paid for their work, and how valuable and crucial their work is. State's should be looking at frivolous spending which in the past 5-10 years of excess their has been plenty of in each state and if they have to, they should look at increasing taxes as a whole, not just taking away from state-employed employees. The nursing schools are already overburdened with too little facilities, too little supplies, and too little pay for it's much needed endeavors.

What also upsets me is the number of well-qualified eager students who would give anything to get into nursing school who aren't able to because there are way too many applicants then there are spots because there isn't the money to hire new faculty, create new classroom space, and find clinical spots. How do the states ever think they are going to take care of the nursing shortage, which after this recession is over and the baby-boomers really start retiring will take place. I know right now there are no jobs but in the future there will be a huge need for more nurses than can be supplied and yet thousands of top students are being turned away.

I also know that right now putting spending into nursing programs is an inprobability with the financial crisis in every state budget but why can't bureacracies ever have some foresight and make budgets that allow for a safety net in such economies and allow for the necesary programs such as firefighter training, nurse training, teacher training to be able to grow and prosper as needed? I know that money needs to be cut from everywhere right now but I feel like they're taking money away from nursing programs that are never given what they need in the first place and yet everyone expects to walk into an ER and for there to be highly trained nurses at the ready. How do they think those high trained nurses get there, osmosis?

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Jun 13, 2009

I think that it is ridiculous that state employees are made to give back part of their salary. As a nursing student I know how hard nursing professors work, how little appreciation they get for their work, how little they get paid for their work, and how valuable and crucial their work is. State's should be looking at frivolous spending which in the past 5-10 years of excess their has been plenty of in each state and if they have to, they should look at increasing taxes as a whole, not just taking away from state-employed employees. The nursing schools are already overburdened with too little facilities, too little supplies, and too little pay for it's much needed endeavors.
What also upsets me is the number of well-qualified eager students who would give anything to get into nursing school who aren't able to because there are way too many applicants then there are spots because there isn't the money to hire new faculty, create new classroom space, and find clinical spots. How do the states ever think they are going to take care of the nursing shortage, which after this recession is over and the baby-boomers really start retiring will take place. I know right now there are no jobs but in the future there will be a huge need for more nurses than can be supplied and yet thousands of top students are being turned away.
I also know that right now putting spending into nursing programs is an inprobability with the financial crisis in every state budget but why can't bureacracies ever have some foresight and make budgets that allow for a safety net in such economies and allow for the necesary programs such as firefighter training, nurse training, teacher training to be able to grow and prosper as needed? I know that money needs to be cut from everywhere right now but I feel like they're taking money away from nursing programs that are never given what they need in the first place and yet everyone expects to walk into an ER and for there to be highly trained nurses at the ready. How do they think those high trained nurses get there, osmosis?

Thank you for your insightful reply and kind words of support, jpeters84.

The latest word on our state financial crisis is that the NC General Assembly is considering raising state income taxes for higher income brackets, increasing sales tax on liquor, mandating tuition increases and surcharges, and eliminating certain tuition grants and special scholarships. If enacted, these proposals would lessen the direct funding cuts to state educational institutions, including nursing schools. All state employee salaries, of course, are to remain frozen, with the possibility of further "voluntary furloughs" being enacted down the road.

Moogie · Jun 14, 2009

What also upsets me is the number of well-qualified eager students who would give anything to get into nursing school who aren't able to because there are way too many applicants then there are spots because there isn't the money to hire new faculty, create new classroom space, and find clinical spots. How do the states ever think they are going to take care of the nursing shortage, which after this recession is over and the baby-boomers really start retiring will take place. I know right now there are no jobs but in the future there will be a huge need for more nurses than can be supplied and yet thousands of top students are being turned away.
I also know that right now putting spending into nursing programs is an inprobability with the financial crisis in every state budget but why can't bureacracies ever have some foresight and make budgets that allow for a safety net in such economies and allow for the necesary programs such as firefighter training, nurse training, teacher training to be able to grow and prosper as needed? I know that money needs to be cut from everywhere right now but I feel like they're taking money away from nursing programs that are never given what they need in the first place and yet everyone expects to walk into an ER and for there to be highly trained nurses at the ready. How do they think those high trained nurses get there, osmosis?

Excellent points. As a Baby Boomer, I am nervous about what health care might be like when I'm elderly. I also appreciate VickyRN's description of the state budgets as penny wise and pound foolish.

oramar · Jun 15, 2009

I think that it is ridiculous that state employees are made to give back part of their salary. As a nursing student I know how hard nursing professors work, how little appreciation they get for their work, how little they get paid for their work, and how valuable and crucial their work is. State's should be looking at frivolous spending which in the past 5-10 years of excess their has been plenty of in each state and if they have to, they should look at increasing taxes as a whole, not just taking away from state-employed employees. The nursing schools are already overburdened with too little facilities, too little supplies, and too little pay for it's much needed endeavors.
What also upsets me is the number of well-qualified eager students who would give anything to get into nursing school who aren't able to because there are way too many applicants then there are spots because there isn't the money to hire new faculty, create new classroom space, and find clinical spots. How do the states ever think they are going to take care of the nursing shortage, which after this recession is over and the baby-boomers really start retiring will take place. I know right now there are no jobs but in the future there will be a huge need for more nurses than can be supplied and yet thousands of top students are being turned away.
I also know that right now putting spending into nursing programs is an inprobability with the financial crisis in every state budget but why can't bureacracies ever have some foresight and make budgets that allow for a safety net in such economies and allow for the necesary programs such as firefighter training, nurse training, teacher training to be able to grow and prosper as needed? I know that money needs to be cut from everywhere right now but I feel like they're taking money away from nursing programs that are never given what they need in the first place and yet everyone expects to walk into an ER and for there to be highly trained nurses at the ready. How do they think those high trained nurses get there, osmosis?

:yeahthat: :yeah:

mommyonamission · Jun 15, 2009

VickyRN, points well taken!

What I don't understand is how hospitals have numerous nurse openings (at least according to their websites) yet so many nursing grads that you know are unemployed. Of course, this is my observation without breaking down the data in detail but how would you explain this?

I think there's a misperception by some considering the nursing field as a profession that the job supply is excellent. However, apparently, that does not appear to be the case; especially from some of the geographical differences I've seen folks cite in other forums.

medicmama921 · Jun 15, 2009

Wow - that's scary! I'm an LPN in GA & was planning to try to go back in the fall to get my RN. Now I'm afraid I may not be able to get in anywhere, nor get the financial aid to help cover the costs! Thanks for keeping us updated...