Nursing Recession-proof?

[UM Review RN]

I've seen a couple of news blurbs recently that describe nursing as recession-proof. This concerns me for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that I don't believe nursing is any more recession-proof than any other job.

My other major concern is that of people entering nursing who are only in it for the money and will only take up precious seats in nursing programs.

Your thoughts?

[Loving.Very.Nice]

Nursing is not recession proof. I'm a California new RN grad, previously an LVN (LPN), and am having a very hard time getting a job. I just got rejected for a LTC position and I worked in LTC for 2 years.

I can not imagine what other professions are going through, if this is what I'm facing.

[racing-mom4, BSN, RN]

I live in the midwest. granted I am lucky to have a full time weekend job that I technically could work 7 days a week if I wanted. I work in an ICU but can pick up on MS or Er. This "part time" job is PRN and pays more an hour than what I am currently making because it is a non benefited posistion.

I figure if I am going to pick up extra shifts I will pick them up for someone who is going to pay me so much more.

As far as there not being as many jobs...I agree with the other posters who say nurses are picking up more OT. I know at my facility we rarely have to bring in agency any more because staff wants the extra hours. We have been hit with a lot of factory lay offs in our community, so the spouses of some of the nurses are now home and money is tight.

[JB2007, ASN, RN]

Nursing is not recession proof. Where I work we have hired several new nurses that want full time, but are not able to get full time hours. Two years ago or even six months ago management was begging for people to pick up extra hours. Now you can not get overtime if you wanted it.

Nice thing is that management is starting to weed out the people who call in all the time or cause trouble. Maybe the recession is not all bad.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

While the job market has been somewhat robust for nurses in the city where I reside, nursing is NOT a recession-proof career. It is impacted by economic turmoil just like other industries.

During the recession of the early 1990s, some nurses would remain unemployed for 6 months or longer as they looked for jobs. This severe nursing glut (surplus) persisted deeply into the middle 1990s in some areas.

In times of recession, patients avoid having elective surgeries because they are fearful of taking the time off work that is needed for full recovery, which results in low hospital census. People would rather keep working than become a hospital patient. When hospital census is low, less nurses are needed to keep the floor running.

More people become unemployed during these rough times and, as a result, lose their health insurance. Uninsured people are definitely not inclined to seek healthcare unless it is an absolute emergency. In addition, medical bills incurred by uninsured patients tend to go unpaid, which means less money for healthcare facilities.

It is an accurate statement that nursing jobs can never be outsourced, but keep in mind that nurses can be "insourced" by recruiting foreign nurses to work at US hospitals. These nurses are less likely to whine about working evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays because they are earning more money in America than they ever would in their country of origin.

Loads of part-time nurses accept full-time positions during economic slumps to keep their households financially solvent when a breadwinner spouse loses his/her job suddenly. Countless retired nurses are reactivating their nursing licenses and returning to the nursing workforce in flocks due to the high costs of food and fuel, and the effects of retirement funds that are quickly losing value.

[DeepFriedRN]

Definitely not recession proof. My hospital is laying off.