Nursing Shortage= Thousands of Unemployed New Grads?

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  1. Have You Been Able to Get a Job within Six Months Post-Graduation?

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Hi Everyone,

I'm starting nursing school in April. On this site, I've seen many of you complain about not being able to find work after having graduated. This scares me, especially since I live in CA. I know that there's a significant shortage of nurses all around the nation, so one would think that employers would be begging YOU to work for them. As we all know, that's not the case. It doesn't make sense unless employers simply can't afford to have as many nurses as they need. I'm wondering if you all can enlighten me as to why many are having a more than difficult time finding a job given the shortage. Maybe give me some facts or statistics of where it's easiest to find a nursing job. I already know I live in the worst nursing economy. Would it be easier to find a job in the lesser populated states? I am willing to move after nursing school, but only to Washington (state), Arizona, Florida, or North Carolina. Do any of you know what the competition level is to get a job in those states? Just curious, what is New York's nursing economy like specifically near Manhattan area?

I'm really excited to go through nursing school, but I'm worried because many of you grads are unemployed!

I could have googled it, but I think you guys are a better source.

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Specializes in LTC.

It does depend on where you live in California too, for example: the three rural hospitals in my area are currently hiring New Grads. They tend to take the local schools applicants but still... Maybe folks don't want to work in rural hospitals I don't know, but right now there are 16 positions that would accept a new grad applicant who had CNA experience that have been open 30+ days where I live. (I called around and asked). Just kind of putting it in perspective.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Hi Winterling and welcome!

I'm not sure where you heard there is a significant nationwide nursing shortage? It was true for many years but it isn't true anymore. That's why many new grads are having problems. It's difficult to pinpoint exactly what the situation is in every area of the country, but if you do a search on "nursing shortage" in this website you will see lots of talk about that and the problems some people are having. If you are well-informed about the job market you can do things to maximize your chances once you finish school. Best wishes to you in nursing school!

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It was all over the internet and everyone was talking about it. I read articles saying that it was the best profession to go into because you can find a job anywhere.. I was hoping to set myself apart by specializing, but I guess that's what everyone is doing. Anyway, this is not good news for me:(. Thanks for your post.

Edit: I wanted to add this:

"Demand for Nurses

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics project there will be continued demand in the labor market for nurses."

This is what my nursing school includes in the nursing section.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

What makes you think there is a shortage? In most areas there isn't, especially if you are a new grad.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
It was all over the internet and everyone was talking about it. I read articles saying that it was the best profession to go into because you can find a job anywhere.. I was hoping to set myself apart by specializing, but I guess that's what everyone is doing. Anyway, this is not good news for me:(. Thanks for your post.

Edit: I wanted to add this:

"Demand for Nurses

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics project there will be continued demand in the labor market for nurses."

This is what my nursing school includes in the nursing section.

Well this caught people unawares. I think it was probably a perfect storm of all the initiatives to increase the numbers of nurses getting results and the economic meltdown of 2008 that we (and especially in California) haven't completely recovered from yet.

It doesn't mean you should give up! What it means is you need to keep yourself networked with how the job market is faring in your area, network with nurses you get to know through school or eventually your clinical days, join student nurse associations and be an active member, do volunteer work in the specialty you choose. Read the new grad sections of allnurses on a regular basis to get a feel for what is going on and where. Perhaps get a job as a PCT (patient care technician) or a nurse's aid if you can. Those are just a few ideas to think about.

When you choose your specialty consider how popular that specialty is. It seems like so many people want to be NICU, L and D, or peds nurses. Do some research to see where the field is not overly saturated now. Sometimes people accuse us of wanting to rain on people's dreams. I don't! If you want to do this go in with a positive attitude and keep your eyes on the horizon.

April is so close now. It's normal to be nervous, but it doesn't mean anything about how you will do and I wish you the best!

Not sure if you saw this thread but it collected a lot of information about new grads in California you can use to supplement your poll results if you want to.

Support Group for unemployed New Grads in California

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The best thing you can do is market your butt off in clinicals. Always send your preceptor or floor managers cards thanking them for letting you be a guest. Ask questions, act interested, give good patient care. I had a job where I was a student nurse position and had an offer from my practicum site before I even knew my nclex date. I live in atlanta by the way.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Rehab.

Try to get a job in a patient care area, as s unit secretary or CNA. That will help build your resume and prove to a nurse manger that you're a hard worker. I worked in a non patient care area in school but wasn't able to get s nursing job in that hospital because there was too much competition.

I am not sure but I would think NYC would be very competitive. They have a lot of major trauma centers and likely prefer nurses with experience. At least that's the case in Boston.

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Am here to tell you that as a new grad don't even *think* of showing up in Manhattan, NYC looking for work without a BSN, minimum 3.0 (3.5 is often preferred) cumulative GPA and or at the same in all nursing and science classes. Add to this the usual things such as extern/intern experience, and for forth.

There are only a handful of large hospitals left in NYC and each have their own quirks but pretty much the above is the floor entry into new grad programs. NYP for instance gives preference to internal employees that are recent newly licensed RNs.

New grads and even experienced RNs are looking to other parts of New York State for work from Westchester to Albany and beyond. Some are actually leaving the state to work elsewhere, especially new grads who need that magical number of one or more years of experience.

Remember for most of the NYC and lower NYS RN employment market local nurses are competing with those from New Jersey and Conn. NYS nurses have that and Westchester, Hudson Valley etc.. area nurses as well.

Being as all this may should you land a new grad spot expect a starting salary of about mid to high 70K if not low 80's.

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Specializes in ICU.

I know I'm in the minority, but I had two offers before graduation.

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All I can say is, if nursing is your dream, don't let this stop you!! If I could go back in time, I would have striven to get higher grades so that I could graduate with honors, and I would've tried to join nurse leadership organizations while in school, like Sigma Theta Tau. I would've applied to receive nursing awards, and I would've networked a bit better and stayed in contact with my professors & clinical instructors (who can help you find a job in a lot of cases!). Try to get into a Nurse Residency Program or an Internship in the specialty you enjoy too...

I've been looking for a job for 8 months now, but I won't give up. I would never regret going to school for nursing, because I truly could not see myself doing anything else. I live in Long Island, NY, and the market is pretty tough and competitive around here -- NY Metro area in general. There are at least 20 hospitals within a 50 mile radius of where I live (that I've applied to I don't even know how many times now!). It really does seem so hopeless now, but hope is all I can cling to until I get my 1st RN job. I just look at this as a struggle or a challenge that I'll overcome at some point. One day, someone will be willing to give me the elusive, capitalized, bold faced: EXPERIENCE (that I see on mostly all the online job postings -- "EXPERIENCED RN'S ONLY" :o).

I might go back for my Master's sooner than I had planned. I wanted to gain some real world patient experience as a nurse first, but I'm learning the lesson that things don't always go as planned, and you either let it depress and hinder you, or you rise above it and go with the flow/see where life takes you. I love this quote by Carl Sagan and it helps me feel better about this situation:

“I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way.”

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new grad salary in the 70s or 80K? try 50-60K. I make 60K if i work a 40hr week, take home pay is 36-39K after taxes, health benefits, etc. This is one of the higher starting salaries for nurses in NJ/NYC area and among my fellow new grads (many of whom are still looking for work a year after graduation).

try faxing surgi-centers- they are much more new grad friendly, although they tend to start you out as per diem. still, it's experience.

in retrospect, i would have gotten a CNA certificate first & done that during nursing school. anyone without that faced MUCH more difficult struggles.

still, this would not have kept me from nursing school. glad i did it.

good luck!!

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