nursing shortage?

caliotter3 · Jan 1, 2008

A highly qualified individual who has never had any problem with her/his career and has been able to maintain satisfying employment throughout their working career since graduation from nursing school will have a different perception than someone who can not stay adequately employed even though they have no real blemishes on their record. It is all in the perception. If I have a job, and can move around to any new department or employer, I won't be complaining about a false "shortage" or a real "shortage" in my area. If I've been out of work for seven months and have exhausted all the employment opportunities in my area, I will be questioning where this "shortage" is. Particularly if I was downsized out of my last job, in spite of sterling job reviews. It's all in the perception of the individual.

On the other hand, ask any person who has recently been a patient in a hospital and spent time lying on a gurney in a hallway, observing how many different nurses are attending to their needs versus the housekeeping staff going in and out of rooms, you might get yet a different perception of whether or not there is a shortage. The patient might perceive his assigned nurse as being too busy to spend much time with him, or he might perceive his assigned nurse as spending too much time chatting when he does see her. Again, it is all in the perception of the individual and what their personal goal is.

Personally, I've been in an area where there were few jobs to be had. Many of those jobs in LTC facilities that are not necessarily popular with lots of nurses, were held by people that were working full time at two facilities and had been in the area for decades, holding the same jobs. Yet there were three nursing schools nearby producing RNs and LVNs. I never met any of the newly graduated at any of the places where I worked, and sometimes wondered how I managed to get hired. Eventually I had to leave. You stay employed in an area that is saturated with nurses, or you move on. That is true of any type of job, not just nursing.

husker_rn, RN · Jan 1, 2008

I agree that the nursing "shotage " has been created by the workplace itself. I am one of those who left the moutains { Montana ** for a job here in Oklahoma; they aren't at the top of the pay scale but much better than the $18.50 I made. With differentials and all I now make almost twice that. Nursing neds to get a backbone and stop "settling " for whatever we are offered. I tell them what it takes for me to consider the position.

Katie82, RN · Jan 1, 2008

I am curious- is there really a nurse shortage in the USA, or is this an out of context statement? My thinking is this- If there is really a shortage, why are salaries so bad?.
There is a severe shortage in many areas, but the pay issue boils down to the old supply and demand issue. In Wyoming, there are not the numbers or variety of jobs available that you would find in a large urban area. They can get away with paying you $16/hr because you have few alternatives. Another issue is how much they can afford to pay their nurses. If the reimbursement is heavily Medicaid/Medicare, a hospital has less money. Before I moved from Baltimore, I worked for a healthcare system that is consistently voted #1 in the country. But they have huge medical school/research programs to support, so nurses were paid less than at other area hospitals. Unless you're willing to relocate, you may be working for $16 for a long time.

ZootRN · Jan 1, 2008

I agree with others that there is no shortage of nurses in the country, but shortage of nurses willing to put up with bad working conditions and poor pay.

I think "real" shortage of supply we will see in another 10-15 years, when huge number of baby boomers who are nurses will be retiring. This will be a shortage that won't be possible just to patch up. Then we will see real increases in pay and incentives. As far as hospitals not making enough to keep nurses salaries up to par, this is something I really do not care about. They have means to give bonuses to administration, CEO's, CHF's etc. Without nurses, no hospital will ever exist, so the ones who are not able to compensate at the level of competitors, will be out of business quickly.