Nursing Shortage

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Why are all the articles and papers and T.V. saying that there is such a high shortage or nurses today. Yet you hear about all these RN's and LPN's getting laid off or let go. I don't understand. I know that a good many of the Dr's offices here where I live have laid off most of the nursing staff due to the economy, but they have kept their MA's because they know the front and back office. Is now a good time to go into school for nursing or not. Can somebody shed some light on this for me. Please. Thank you

Specializes in being a Credible Source.
when the economy turns around -- and it will...
yes, the economy will recover... unemployment... that's going to be a much bigger problem. if you thought the last jobless recovery was bad, wait 'til you see this one. many millions of jobs have disappeared and aren't ever coming back... even as the economy starts growing again.

and by the time hospitals start hiring any significant number of new grads, several classes worth of graduates will be out and competing for those jobs. it will be years... many years... before new grads see any relief and those of us graduating now are going to be fighting for "table scraps." personally, i'm ready for the fight and the 1 out of 100 hiring process but many new grads are going to be destitute and looking for other jobs.

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Specializes in o.
"And by the time hospitals start hiring any significant number of new grads several classes worth of graduates will be out and competing for those jobs. It will be years... many years... before new grads see any relief and those of us graduating now are going to be fighting for "table scraps." Personally, I'm ready for the fight and the 1 out of 100 hiring process but many new grads are going to be destitute and looking for other jobs.[/quote']

Is that really true? I hope it isn't.

Last January, I lost a relative to a medical error (& then nearly another relative from a medical error a few months ago). Sitting at my 2nd relative's bedside, I decided I was going to be a part of the solution & was changing careers. Relatives told me the medical field was my calling 20 years ago - wish I'd listened.

After reading this tread, at 33yo I'm nervous to follow my passion & embark on a nursing career which involves more to consider than maybe a first time college student or someone changing careers due to unemployment.

1) neglecting family & friends for the next 3-4 few years while I get my 2nd Degree BSN (not even including the MSN),

2) accumulating nursing school debt on top of previous student loan debt,

3) taking a dramatic pay cut, and

4) leaving a secure job with decent pay during a deep recession

I'm eager to do all of the above to work in a field I feel passionate about, but also don't want to change careers just to end up hopelessly unemployed. Not only would it be a silly career move, more importantly, how can I be a part of change if I'm unemployed?

The above quote makes sense to me, but I'm obviously not in the medical field yet. Is the above quoted comment really true? I want to hear the truth, but at the same time, I'm hoping it's not true. :\

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Specializes in none as of yet, hoping for ped oncology!.
Yes, the economy will recover... unemployment... that's going to be a much bigger problem. If you thought the last jobless recovery was bad, wait 'til you see this one. Many millions of jobs have disappeared and aren't ever coming back... even as the economy starts growing again.

And by the time hospitals start hiring any significant number of new grads, several classes worth of graduates will be out and competing for those jobs. It will be years... many years... before new grads see any relief and those of us graduating now are going to be fighting for "table scraps." Personally, I'm ready for the fight and the 1 out of 100 hiring process but many new grads are going to be destitute and looking for other jobs.

What you're saying may be partially true, especially the part about some jobs never coming back, but for one thing, that's not true of nursing. It's a field that will not be automated, replaced by robots, and frankly is not being overrun by immigrants. Another thing I think will play out in the end is that while it may be some time before new grads are hired, the ones who don't feel a true calling for nursing will give up and move on to another career. So yes, there will be many jobless new nursing grads, but few of them will dig in and wait for the turn around. JMO

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I will tell you. I am almost done nursing school and the problem is not that there are not enough people to do the job. Many hospitals, nursing homes etc just don't hire enough people to do the jobs. Lots of people looking for jobs. Alll hospitals in my area on hiring freeze. Some nursing homes hiring but looks like to me they work very short staffed. When I was out in other fields I never saw people work so short and they didn't even have a license to protect. I think until you have seen how many "jobs" a nurse has to do all at once and how short staffed they work you can't understand it. I have never seen anything like it. And to be responsible for every move you make on top of it.

I am not trying to discourage you but you really should shadow someone on a busy shift, like a day shift on a med surg hospital floor. Then decide what to do. The general public, me included believes that the reason that the hospitals work short is because they can't find nurses but its really because they mostly just won't hire enough. THey would rather spend the money to have flat screen tvs in all the rooms. Customer service and all that.

For me, I was offered a very comfy job prior to going to nursing school. Wish I had taken it. Now I am just going to do the best I can.

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What I met was I used to believe that too, but not anymore. And as much as I have always wanted to help people and looked forward to it, I am not looking forward to running myself into the ground so that some stockholders get rich while I take all the repsonsiblity. I didn't know that was what I was signing up for.

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Specializes in o.

I'm confused.

if there isn't a nursing shortage prediction, why did MD hospitals just back grants for college programs to increase Maryland's nurses?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/21/AR2009072103740.html

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I think it is specific to several areas that have many nursing schools/colleges have more applicants, less jobs--supply larger than the demand.

otessa

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
What you're saying may be partially true, especially the part about some jobs never coming back, but for one thing, that's not true of nursing.
Well, it's true that nurses aren't easily displaced by automation but all those millions of jobs that have evaporated are customers that are generally unable to afford hospital care with a concomitant impact on nursing jobs.
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I think it does depend on the location. Where I live there is definitely NOT a nurse shortage...there are so many applicants for one job you now see some of the ones you are up against & although nobody says it the male nurses usually always get the position. Don't get me wrong...I have nothing against male nurses, I have a great friend who is an LPN & will be graduating soon from the RN program.

In Ohio, I have seen that the BIGGER cities have openings for RNs & LPNs. I am talking Cleveland, Cincinnati, Youngstown, Columbus, & Toledo. I am more centrally located & do not want to leave the area so I have limited myself.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, educator.

Many states, not just MD, putting money into nursing schools, in anticipation that this economy will turn around soon, and all of the jobs will be back. I think right now it's a wait and see game.

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Specializes in o.
Many states, not just MD, putting money into nursing schools, in anticipation that this economy will turn around soon, and all of the jobs will be back. I think right now it's a wait and see game.

From the sounds of this board, it might make more sense for them to put that money into the hospitals instead of nursing schools to hire more nurses (so the ones who are there aren't spread so thin, and to also help the unemployed nurses).

Pumping money into nursing schools makes more nurses who won't have a job to go to and makes a false sense in someone like me that changing careers to nursing is a sound idea.

I'm confused why, if they have money to devote to the medical system, they'd choose to use it in that way. I suppose it's the government and not for me to understand. :lol2:

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Specializes in Psych, med surg.

I think it depends on the area you're in. I'm in Des Moines, IA. Big shortage here, but we also have a HUGE elderly population, largest in the nation. When I graduated last June, I had three offers to pick from out of three interviews. I chose a busy med-surg unit that hires new grads all the time. Plus, there are two new major hospitals opening this year in the suburbs. I just applied for a new position and got a call back for an interview the same day. Was offered the job at the interview.

A co-worker recently relocated to souther CA. She was having an awful time finding a position, and had experience and a BSN.

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