Nursing Job Shortage?

amjowens · Dec 4, 2009

Work and volunteer. While it is important to meet a minimum GPA (I'd say 3.0 above, though some hospitals have a higher standard I've heard), most are looking for evidence of character/experience.

I volunteered with hospice and the person who interviewed me happened to feel strongly about hospice ideals/was very impressed...my lucky day!

RNnbakes · Dec 4, 2009

Try to get a job as a CNA,tech or monitor i.e anything that would get you in the hospital while you are in nursing school. In short you need to start looking for a job now.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 4, 2009

If possible, be open to relocating to another region upon graduation. Some cities and states do not have nursing jobs available due to an oversupply of nurses in these areas coupled with a slumping economy. Other cities and states still have plenty of nursing positions that need to be filled. If you are willing to move to where the jobs are, you can almost assuredly land a nursing position. However, I am cognizant of the fact that not all people can pick up the pieces of their lives to move elsewhere.

Also, new nurses cannot afford to be too choosy in this crappy economic climate. I've seen new grads refuse night shift positions to hold out for the coveted day shift job, and many of these holdouts have been unemployed for months. I've seen new grads refuse to work in non-hospital settings (nursing homes, home health, dialysis centers, hospice) because they insist on getting hired into their dream job in the ER, ICU, OR, or pediatric unit in the hospital. Beggars cannot be choosers, so don't be too selective when the odds are stacked against new grads.

Good grades, volunteer work, previous CNA experience, and involvement in nursing organizations are wonderful, but these aspects have not been making much of a difference in places such as California that are flooded to the max with new grad nurses.

iluvdetroit · Dec 4, 2009

I think one of the major things that you have going for you is that you're fluent in Spanish. If you look in Arizona, New Mexico, or Texas, especially areas closer to the Border, you should have a leg up on all of your competition. I lived in the Phoenix area last year, and knowing Spanish is a huge plus in any job field. I don't think a lot of people realize how many people actually live inside the US and speak no, or almost no, English.

paacollins · Dec 4, 2009

NC has a huge hispanice population as well. The health department always needs healthcare workers trained in spanish. I think being bilingual would be a huge plus and I'd definitely play that up in your resume and cover letter.

Dinith88 · Dec 4, 2009

YOu're male. Middle-aged women nurse-managers seem to prefer male-nurses over female-nurses if they have a choice...even if the women are 'better' qualified.

This is,of course, an opinion based on personal observations... but... i'm, right.

Otessa, BSN, RN · Dec 4, 2009

Hi everyone!
I am just beginning my 2nd semester of Nursing School and I have been reading plenty about there being a lack of jobs out there for new grads. I am a male, have a previous bachelor's degree in Spanish and speak the language fluently. I have earned nothing but A's in school. What can I do to make sure I can get a job when I finish up with my BSN?? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I am all ears!
Thanks,
Nic

To make sure you can get a job when you finish.

Answer:

Being willing to move where there ARE jobs and possibly not get your dream job right out of college.

otessa

NewTexasRN · Dec 5, 2009

Here's what I wished that I had known about finding a job before I graduated from nursing school:

-Get an externship! Make the best of the experience even it's a bad one and develop a great relationship with the staff and nurse manager. Consider the externship a trial job offer. Your attitude and behavior will play a role in whether or not that nurse manager wants to hire you after you graduate. Even if you don't get a job on that unit, you can use the nurse manager and your preceptor as references.

-Get a job as a nursing assistant at a hospital. Develop a great relationship with the staff especially the nurse manager and your coworkers. (They can put in a good word for you when you graduate).

-Build a great relationship with the staff where you do your clinicals. Try to stand out and make sure they remember you as you might apply for a job on that unit.

-Network, Network and did I say: NETWORK!!! (Sometimes, it's all about who you know!) So start networking before you graduate.

-Work hard in nursing school and try to get the best grades possible because it helps when you apply for internships because they are competitive.

-Be open to LTC, Subacute, and Rahab facilities.

-Also be open to moving out of the area even if it's for a little while.

-Start searching a for job waaaaay before you graduate.

Midwest4me · Dec 5, 2009

I agree with TheCommuter; you can't be too choosy. So many complain: "I could never work night shift". You can LEARN to work any shift!!!! I don't like night shift either but it's a job with good benefits and good shift differential. In this economy, nurses CANNOT afford to be choosy. Having a night job is better than NO job!

Dinnith88: are you really 90 years old?

Blackheartednurse · Dec 5, 2009

Hi everyone!
I am just beginning my 2nd semester of Nursing School and I have been reading plenty about there being a lack of jobs out there for new grads. I am a male, have a previous bachelor's degree in Spanish and speak the language fluently. I have earned nothing but A's in school. What can I do to make sure I can get a job when I finish up with my BSN?? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I am all ears!
Thanks,
Nic

Being fluent in at least two languages will definitely make you stand out among all other grads. One of the major reason that helped me to land my first position was putting in my resume that I speak fluently in another language as well.When I mentioned I'm learing the third one she was literally in heaven! Let me tell when the nurse manager (yes not even the nurse recruiter) call me the first thing she mentioned was my fluency in aforeign language...