Nursing shortage, where?

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There really is no such thing as a nursing shortage, maybe it's just in my area, but I can't seem to get a job fast enough. I'm a new grade with about 6 months of ICU experience as an RN and 6 months Telemetry experience as a nurse extern. I couldn't handle the ICU and realized I needed to work in a slower environment/different environment, so I am currently unemployed. Honestly, I don't even think I belong on a medsurg/tele floor because it is so fast paced and I get distracted easily. I've always wanted to work for a plastic surgeon but I have no OR experience. There just seems to be no job market for basically a new grad in the OR. What do you recommend? What are my options? I need to work asap and there are no openings in any hosptial/private practice department. Is the economy really suffering or am I just looking in the wrong areas? Please help.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

I believe you are looking in the wrong places. I would recommend you start of in med/surg. Yes it is difficult and fast paced but you will get a taste of everything. You will also be able to think critically as an RN.

After feeling comfortable in med/surg make the move to ER or ICU. Once you feel comfortable handling these patients try to move to OR.

Nursing is very fast paced especially in urban areas with high turnover. I wish you the best of luck. But you will have to start from the bottom up

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I don't mean to bring this up again, but there are no jobs open. Not even for MedSurg. Nothing. Zilch. Not sure how else to put it. Even the nursing recruiters are saying there is no shortage of new nurses just a shortage of experienced ones.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

There is definately a nursing shortage maybe not in the particular area you are looking into but I live in NJ and we are constantly looking for RN's.

Another problem is the fact that many hospitals are closing due to financial problems. I live in a very urban area and they are closing three major hospitals leaving only 3 open. My hospital is filled to capacity almost every day and the ER is packed.

Try looking in a more urban area... they normally need more RN's

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Specializes in Telemetry, CCU.

Like the others said, you do have to start from the bottom up. Maybe in your particular area there was a burst of new grads on the job market and they are currently full. What area do you live in? Maybe you can commute to a larger city or move a little farther from where you live now. I know you shouldn't have to move with the way nursing is these days, you'd think you'd be able to find something close to home, but like happy said, rural areas and small towns probably have less space :(

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

There are areas in nursing where there is no nursing shortage. You probably could get a job, but you are being particular, so saying there isn't a shortage where you are might not be true. Here it's tough to get jobs such as OR and L&D but there's definately a shortage in other areas such as med-surg and nursing homes. In things such as plastics you have to know someone to get in.

Sometimes it's just about being at the right place at the right time.

Good luck!

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consider moving to a different area?

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