I recently lost my job and started applying. Seven years of experience and a bachelor's degree, I thought I'd be a hot commodity. It's 2019 and things are no different than when I graduated shortly after the recession. I apply to jobs and my applications are instantly rejected because I don't have medical/surgical experience. I don't fit the requirements for a new grad program, either.
Well there is this supposed shortage where everyone is understaffed and desperate for nurses. I don't see it. Nobody is willing to train new staff and nobody will hire those of us who got screwed during the recession.
I think it's all BS. I've met a lot of nurses in similar situations and they all struggle trying to get out of this low level line of work.
My last job was at Kaiser where I had a benefits plan worth my annual salary. We were horribly understaffed too. But, I would look at the jobs page for anything available so I could tell my friends where to apply. There were never any jobs there. Management always told us they were going to hire more, but they never did. When the Joint Commission left, they got rid of the travel nurses and stopped hiring. Then, they started instituting mandatory overtime and overloading us past the ratio policy limits.
Honestly, I think hospitals and facilities are just happy the way things are. They know there are nurses who want to get in. I've never been in management before, so I don't know why they make that decision. However, I suspect it costs more to hire a new employee than it would to pay overtime for current staff.
On 10/30/2019 at 7:23 AM, Holy Guiacamole said:
In 30 years, the only shortage I have seen is a shortage of "hiring"
I definitely see how in some areas this is true. I believe we have a shortage of experienced nurses. Nursing schools seem to be pumping out nurses, but a lot of hospitals don't want to invest in new grads, which is the only way to transform a new grad into someone with experience.
I feel like a common problem nowadays is that the taskiness and simplification of nursing by computers and technology is making experience less and less valuable to employers. Most hospital nursing positions don't require a lot of skill or experience, just someone able to semi-safely pass meds and click a bunch of required charting boxes on the computer. Most med-surg nursing (and even some ICU) jobs are done by computers telling nurses exactly what to do, with little discernment required on the nurse's part.........chart this at that time.......give that at this time........titrate this drip for these numbers.........etc.
So the experienced nursing are expecting higher pay for their experience, but hospitals don't want to pay you $10 more an hour when wet-behind-the-ears new-grad Emily over there can just as easily click the boxes and pass the meds for a whole lot less money.
Sure, there will be some collateral damage in the form of missed signs and symptoms, or med errors, or maybe even a death here and there, but what they're saving by staffing with cheap new grads and young nurses who are just happy to have a job makes that collateral damage negligible.
That's the way it seems to me anyway. The ICU where I work is probably 70% staffed by nurses with 1-2 years experience. They don't want to hire a nurse like me with 8 years experience when they can get young nurses who can just complete the task and make their paperwork look good, and who's willing to shut up and do whatever they tell them.
I don't even intend this post to really be a complaint, but just an acknowledgement of something we have to adapt to.
Awwww, I can hardly wait to let the med surg nurses know how easy their job is. Semi pass meds, clickety click, then paint your nails, read a book, play on facebook.
Awwww, I can hardly wait to let the med surg nurses know how easy their job is. Semi pass meds, clickety click, then paint your nails, read a book, play on facebook.
Not sure you understand what I'm saying. Or even want to.
Not sure you understand what I'm saying. Or even want to.
I think its pretty simple. You said nurses who work med/surg and “some ICU” do what computers and machines tell then to do. (BTW I work on a Cardiac Stepdown....we have PLENTY of senior, experienced nurses on my floor. I also have a brain and can think for myself...dont need a computer to tell me how to do my job ?)
The way SansNom worded part of her post came across as condescending to nurses, but I believe she was looking at it from a business/administrative point of view. Her first sentence, "I feel like a common problem nowadays is that the taskiness and simplification of nursing by computers and technology is making experience less and less valuable to employers," really expressed that but then it fell apart with the next sentence. I actually don't think that how SansNom feels but that definitely how it came across.
The next paragraph, "So the experienced nursing are expecting higher pay for their experience, but hospitals don't want to pay you $10 more an hour when wet-behind-the-ears new-grad Emily over there can just as easily click the boxes and pass the meds for a whole lot less money," is expressing how administration looks at the "task" of nursing. Administration does not realize that nursing is NOT a task but is a science, an art, full of skills and knowledge that cannot be replaced by computers, as expressed in the next 2 paragraphs by SansNom"
"Sure, there will be some collateral damage in the form of missed signs and symptoms, or med errors, or maybe even a death here and there, but what they're saving by staffing with cheap new grads and young nurses who are just happy to have a job makes that collateral damage negligible.
That's the way it seems to me anyway. The ICU where I work is probably 70% staffed by nurses with 1-2 years experience. They don't want to hire a nurse like me with 8 years experience when they can get young nurses who can just complete the task and make their paperwork look good, and who's willing to shut up and do whatever they tell them."
In her last paragraph SansNom expresses that that's how it appears TO HER. When I break down her post like this, I definitely see where she's coming from. Administration, for the most part (because we don't want to generalize), seems to only care about their bottom line more than patient care.
Specializes in Education, Informatics, Patient Safety.
On 10/23/2019 at 8:10 PM, Anthony O said:
My last few years have been with home health, hospice, and case management. My goal at the beginning of the year was to gain medical/surgical experience so I could work in a hospital system.
I wanted to get into a job that wasn't a dead-end like most of these small home health agencies. After some experience as a case manager, I could probably apply for a DON position. There is no career ladder. However, I never wanted to work in home health and I don't want case management or a DON position.
I'm just kinda burnt out now. I put in enough applications to realize I won't get a job that I like. Right now my goal is to just find a job somewhere with very low stress, and maybe in a cubicle somewhere that nobody notices me.
Anthony, have you thought about nursing education? We are desperate for male nurse educators. You can get your MSN online, get it paid for and then have a wonderful job! I love my students, my hours, my pay, summers off, and the joy of knowing I am changing nursing by teaching what I believe in. Let me know if you are interested - I'm happy to mentor you or find someone else who will!
Awwww, I can hardly wait to let the med surg nurses know how easy their job is. Semi pass meds, clickety click, then paint your nails, read a book, play on facebook.
I work in a med-tele unit and it is pure hell. Granted I'm a new nurse (3 years RN, 6 months at this unit) but I watch the nurses who've been there for 10+ years doing the same scramble I'm doing day in and day out. Our unit was opened to have a 4:1 ratio, it quickly moved to 5:1 and often 6:1 creeps in. It just isn't realistic.
Must depend on where you are. I've quit my job and gotten rehired within two weeks- twice.
Your profile says you're in critical care, so you probably have med/surg experience. I've never worked in a hospital and struggle to get work anywhere if I leave my job.
Anthony, have you thought about nursing education? We are desperate for male nurse educators. You can get your MSN online, get it paid for and then have a wonderful job! I love my students, my hours, my pay, summers off, and the joy of knowing I am changing nursing by teaching what I believe in. Let me know if you are interested - I'm happy to mentor you or find someone else who will!
I've thought about continuing education. I recently enrolled in an NP program, but dropped out right before the start date. I'm too worried about what advancement might bring me. I'm a nurse without med/surg experience and don't know how that'll affect employment. Would anyone hire an NP without med/surg? Would they hire a teacher without it?
I'm worried I'd end up as an unemployed NP or educator who can't get any jobs because they require med/surg.
klone, MSN, RN
14,857 Posts
Coming from Denver, I didn't believe there was a nursing shortage, either. Then I moved to rural-ish Oregon.
The nursing shortage is real, but very geographically dependent.