Nursing Shortage??

CompassionateLPN · Jun 9, 2011

Just to let you know that YOU ARE NOT ALONE! :redpinkhe

I live in Northeast PA and am experiencing the same, if not even more difficult, situation.

Not only that but there seems to be less and less LPN jobs around then ever.

I'm a new grad who made a career change later in life and have no medical field background at all.

I haven't even had the handful of interviews you've had with the 50+ resumes and applications I've sent out.

YEAH! RIGHT!! SURE!!! Nursing Shortage! WHERE!?!?! :confused:

I also understand your being a single mom (like me) and only having the day and night shifts available (and night shift is very reluctantly because of the kid being left alone factor). But we have to do what we have to do to survive, right?!

Being that you have experience and a license under your belt now I would accept the crazy hours of Home Care positions and keep applying, over and over again, to the nursing homes until one recruiter or HR director finally realizes that you should be given a chance. Sometimes several people are reviewing applications and what one person thinks doesn't 'fit' another just might think you'd be 'perfect'. So don't give up there.

I even started another thread about the possibility of taking a CNA/PSA/PCA/MA postion just to get my foot in the door of a good place and then moving up when a position opens up. you just might want to give that a try since you already have years of work in that already.

These are very difficult employment times for sure and YES! even for nurses (RN's seem to have a little less trouble), so don't be fooled by the media hype.

I wish you all the best of luck in your search! :redpinkhe

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2011

Many of the nursing jobs have evaporated into thin air during this slumping economy. Please correct the next person who shouts that "Nursing is in demand," or "Nursing is the perfect recession-proof career!"

PillpacknLPN · Jun 9, 2011

Is Ohio a work AT WILL state? I can tell you it's obviously no shortage here Mississippi. The company I am employed with has a certain group of nurses working without Agency and PRN staff as a back up for sick and vacation leave. Now get this... it gives PTO Ha! When a company does that, they know that the shortage is not correctly portrayed. Working in LTC....

reeveslpn · Jun 10, 2011

Im in NJ same thing here!! I'm working per diem and can't find any fulltime work. I have 8+ years experience. I've been sending my resume all over and only a few call backs all agency. There are NO LPN jobs here at all. I got an interview with Macy's and a insurance company I guess I have to do something else until I find a LPN job.

RN_2005 · Oct 4, 2011

I am a 53 y/o registered nurse in Ohio, and cannot find a nursing job. I graduated in late 2005 and became licensed several months later. I worked in an OB/GYN office for nearly 2 years, but during that time lost any skill base I had built during school as a basically functioned as nothing more than a glorified MA. Back when I was in school though, this would not have been a problem for me as RN jobs were VERY plentiful then. Employers were even offering internships and extended orientations for new grads [inexperienced] and nurses who had been out of the practice for awhile who wanted to reenter the field. There were offers for relocation to other cities/states/countries with enticing sign-on bonuses and paid expenses.

I have now been out of work for over 2 years though I did work for the US Census in 2010, and took a seasonal job as a CSR this past spring that has now ended - both jobs totally unrelated to healthcare in any way. Any nursing jobs that are out there are requiring substantial experience and certifications that I do not have, yet are usually only offering per diem, prn, casual, temporary, or at best permanent part-time positions to boot. Also, many nurses I know who have been gainfully employed at their facilities for many years are not even making a 40 hour week consistently; they are often times sent home after 8 hours of a 12 hour shift, called off for low census, etc.

"CompassionateLPN" mentioned taking a CNA/PSA/PCA/MA position just to get a foot in the door until a nursing position opened up, and I have tried that as I worked as a STNA for 3 years while in school. I was told by more than one facility that as long as I held an active RN license, they would be unable to put me in one of those positions as I may be tempted to work outside of my 'scope of practice' as a mere STNA; indications were actually made that lead me to believe in Ohio it may actually be illegal to function in a lower position/status than your licensure indicates! I suppose I could put my license in 'inactive' status until needed .... *sigh* Just feeling terribly discouraged and defeated over this right now. I wish I had not even put the time, money, and effort into going back to school.

KatyD · Oct 20, 2011

There's no nursing shortage here in Massachusetts either. I got my RN last July. I've applied to about 50-60 jobs. I finally had 1 interview this week at a doctor's office - I don't think I got the job. Forget the hospitals unless you personally know the hiring manager or you have already worked there while in school as a CNA, PCA, etc. I know Mass. General will not "underemploy" RNs as CNAs and I'm assuming most other hospitals won't either. I've been applying to nursing homes/rehabs only to be told they want "experience" or I don't hear from them at all. I went to a school with a good reputation and my GPA was good. A recruiter told me she doesn't care about the GPA, she wants experience.

The "general public" still thinks there's tons of nursing jobs and that nurses can "make their own hours". I'm sure the nursing schools are still giving their song and dance about the projected nursing shortage. What worries me is that I won't have a job come December and there will be a whole new batch of new grads to compete with.

lpnhavinfaith · Nov 6, 2011

Im employed by a home care agency per diem for the past 4 years. I found out last week im going to be replaced by a RN who wants my job with the patient ive been working for 2 years. My patient lives 2 miles from where I live. The family of my pt said they would not let me be replaced. The agency has a job for me 36 miles away in a bad area. At least Im employed. Applying all over with no response. Ive also heard that the agency Im working for no longer hires lpns. Its always bad news. trying to keep going here praying for a miracle.