Nursing school when there is no true RN shortage?

SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN · Feb 28, 2014

That's really up to you. Yeah, the market's tough, but not impossible.

The better question here is, do you really want to be a nurse?

llg, PhD, RN · Feb 28, 2014

I agree with the previous poster.

If you chose nursing just because you thought it would be a "recession proof" and that it was always easy to find a good nursing job ... then I recommend that you choose something else. Find some type of work that you really WANT to do ... because it will probably be another couple of years (at least) before the nursing job market really opens up again.

But if you really want to be a nurse and do nursing work ... then I believe you shouldn't let the poor job market stop you. Smart choices and hard work will work in your favor eventually.

I do not believe that you need some special spiritual calling to be a nurse. I'm not saying that. But if your reason for choosing nursing was that you thought the job market was great for new graduates ... then you are basing your choice on wrong information.

Biffbradford · Feb 28, 2014

I think the job market stinks for everybody, not just nurses. Browse the career forms on Indeed.Com and you'll find people in all areas having a hard time finding work. You are correct, the is no nursing shortage. There is an abundance of nurses and actually lots of open positions ... BUT companies, at least hospitals, are not filling them in order to run as lean as possible. I interviewed (NOT a new grad) for a position 3 months ago, and one of my inside informants said that they still have not filled that spot. Bottom line, choose nursing if it really interests you. Good luck!

hope3456, ASN, RN · Feb 28, 2014

It depends on where you live or are willing to live. And on what kind of job you are willing to take.

Leonardo Del Toro, RN · Feb 28, 2014

99% of the time nursing is tedious, boring, impossible tasks to be done in impossible short time, long long hours standing, walking, patient abusing you, management abusing you...it is really, really hard and on top of that there are no jobs...think about it...think hard and long...

mhy12784 · Feb 28, 2014

99% of the time nursing is tedious, boring, impossible tasks to be done in impossible short time, long long hours standing, walking, patient abusing you, management abusing you...it is really, really hard and on top of that there are no jobs...think about it...think hard and long...

Yeah people dont realize that every hospital is different, and many nursing positions are different.

I realize that im at sort of a fantasy land hospital, where things are unrealistically good and some people call it a "yacht club" hospital locally.

But there are definitely places and positions which are quite enjoyable, with a positive standard of living.

That said to the OP's point, there is no nursing shortage. But theres really not any employment shortage right now.

Unemployment rate is high, there arent too many bachelor degrees that will get you a better job WITHOUT experience than nursing.

Its hard to get a job no questions, but a teaching, business, communications, or liberal arts degree isnt going to fare you much better.

Unless you plan on getting your masters or phd, I dont know how much better the options are.

Of course you also have to factor in how much you want to enjoy your life, vs how much you want to get paid. And see if nursing makes sense in that matter as well

RainMom · Feb 28, 2014

BUT companies, at least hospitals, are not filling them in order to run as lean as possible.

This is my employer. Nurses have left in double digits over the past 6-9 months, but only a few new hires in the same amt of time. We were just given a new staffing grid to trial which gave us additional staff, mostly in the form of CNAs, but we don't have the people to fully implement it. We were all excited to hear of the increase in staffing but irritated that there are no plans to hire more people but rather to float anyone available to fill in.

Leonardo Del Toro, RN · Feb 28, 2014

Yeah people dont realize that every hospital is different, and many nursing positions are different.
I realize that im at sort of a fantasy land hospital, where things are unrealistically good and some people call it a "yacht club" hospital locally.
But there are definitely places and positions which are quite enjoyable, with a positive standard of living.
That said to the OP's point, there is no nursing shortage. But theres really not any employment shortage right now.
Unemployment rate is high, there arent too many bachelor degrees that will get you a better job WITHOUT experience than nursing.
Its hard to get a job no questions, but a teaching, business, communications, or liberal arts degree isnt going to fare you much better.
Unless you plan on getting your masters or phd, I dont know how much better the options are.
Of course you also have to factor in how much you want to enjoy your life, vs how much you want to get paid. And see if nursing makes sense in that matter as well

I'm to the point where enjoy my life is really a priority and the pay in nursing is not even that great when you look at the sacrifice you have to endure. As you said there are good places but they are hard to find. I'm looking for alternatives now...will continue to look for nursing jobs but only accept the ones which are healthy and good luck with that! I think nurses have to stop subjecting to anything is thrown at them. I think that anyone who actually volunteer forward to to a job like this should be rewarded and appreciated to the fullest but instead they are abused and taken advantage of. Very sad the state of nursing today. Yes there are some oasis out there but generally a lot of suffering.

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Mar 1, 2014

It truly depends on where you live. You may have to take a position that's not your ideal, just to get experience as an RN before you find your plum job. Do your research and see what the market is like in your area. Find out from your state BON the average age of working RNs in your area. Is the average age high & close to retirement? Or young & closer to fresh out of school? Are the major hospitals & sub-acute care facilities in your area hiring? Do they take new grads or only experienced nurses?

pinkgeek · Mar 1, 2014

Here's how I look at it. Feel free to put on my glasses and see how they fit. I want to be an RN and not just because it's "recession proof" etc. Any "sure thing" is most assuredly not in my experience and nursing is no different. What I am wiling to do is relocate to wherever in order to get me the job that gets me the job I really want. If that means doing my first year in Minot ND so be it. (Note I realize people with family and kids are less likely to choose this route.)

I had an interesting offer to go back to my old career and I thought about it for a day or two and realized it would be fun for 2 weeks and then I'd be slogging along like everyone else. No option to change fields, hospitals, countries, specialties etc. Nursing is tough and it sucks ass like any other job. To be honest, I'd rather deal with jerky patients and rude families than the C levels, VPs, and sales slugs that I've worked with in my former career. At least with rude patients there is some discernible reason ie. illness rather than just being rude because they can be.

Don't be a nurse because it's something to do, do it because it's what you want to do.

hope3456, ASN, RN · Mar 1, 2014

How ironic that you mention Minot, ND. They don't want you either. http://oilpatchdispatch.areavoices.com/2014/02/24/faces-of-the-boom-nurses-from-philippines-helping-plug-holes-in-oil-patch-health-care/