Nursing Shortage: Yea or Nay?

[BabyRN2Be]

Yes, yes, I know. Another thread about the tired discussion of said topic. We all know that the bottom feel out of the nursing bucket roughly 2008 when Bad Things were happening to the US economy. It just seemed as if there was not a job to be had for new grads and some of the most loyal nurses were cut from the institutions they had labored at for 30 years.

Well, at a pool get-together today, a woman just about back-handed me today when I said there was NOT a nursing shortage. She said her son was about ready to graduate from nursing school and he could go anywhere he wanted, claim his area of field, and he'd be taking in the $$$.

I tried to correct her gently that the scenario may have been true about 10 years ago, but that in metropolitan areas, the job market for nursing loss a lot like the central US in places: bogged down and flooded.

This woman talked over me and the others in the group who wouldn't know what the NCLEX was if it came out and bit them, whole-heartedly agreed with the woman, laughing at such a notion that there ever has or ever will be a nursing shortage.

So, let me hear it from you all. Have things changed recently? Has the shortage gone the way of the dodo? If LOVE to hear it as this is one of the reasons why I didn't continue after my baby was born. I didn't want to take out loans if there were no jobs.

What's up everyone? The good, bad, and the ugly.

[SmilingBluEyes]

"nursing shortage, yay or nay"? Definite NAY.

[RetrieverGirl, BSN, RN]

I agree that the shortage varies by location. The area in which I work has no shortage of new graduate nurses, but is seeing a major shift with experienced nurses. In fact, departments are actually turning away new grads because there isn't enough experienced staff to train these nurses. Most of the departments flooded with applicants are the many critical care areas.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

What did you expect this mother to say? If my son graduated tomorrow with a degree of tiddly winks master, of course I'm going to brag him up and tell anyone who will listen that he'll be writing his own future and that people are practically beating down his door to get his skills and talents on their payroll!

I think in this case I would have quietly wished her son good luck and slipped away to refresh my beverage. There is a time and place for everything, arguing with this woman about whatever her son has told her about his future, at a nice social gathering was not it, IMO, of course.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

If employers would adequately staff places I think there would be a shortage for experienced nurses. I also believe that certain areas are in need of nurses while others are obviously saturated and not in need.

If you are a new grad you need to be willing to look elsewhere if you live in one of those areas that is full of new grads. I think things are improving job prospect wise as more people are retiring. However benefits and pay are tanking, patient ratios are exploding, and employers (overall) care less about their nursing staff than ever - so it remains a win-lose situation. Once we have a mass exodus due to retirement I hope working conditions improve, but I doubt it.

I'm just thankful to be healthy (knock on wood) because the current model for short staffing scares the bejesus out of me if I were to become a patient.

[NurseIndependa]

There is some sort of shortage, but it is all location based.

I went to nursing school in the Big City. There was no nursing shortage & it was more competitive for new grads to get a job because there were just so many of them.

After graduation, I moved to a neighboring state's Large Town. They had many openings for new grads & experienced nurses alike. They also offered plenty of "new graduate residencies" to ensure adequate orientation & a better retention rate of new nurses. It is actually very impressive but this is no city.

[canigraduate]

The last few major cities I've been hired in have a shortage of experienced nurses, but not new grads.

Sorry.

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

Shortage for new grads? No. Not in the metro areas. But if the new grads move to small towns or states like ND where no one wants to live, then yes they can get a job fast out of nursing school. Shortage for experienced nurses? Yes, everywhere.

[LobotRN, BSN, RN]

OP, I think your last paragraph is your true question. And with the general consensus from the prior posts, it appears one can find a job if the area(s) in which one is willing to work/relocate have the right conditions. Research your options and the market if you want to pursue a career as a nurse. Good luck to you!

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

I work at a big academic medical center in a large Midwestern city and I have heard that our overall application volume is way down from previous years despite there being more openings. I graduated in 2011 and just from anecdotal perusing of job openings, there seems to be more new grad openings than when I graduated.

[13Gracie]

Are you talking about the "crusty old bats" with all the experience? I'm one of those. I'm counting down...2 more years!

[AliceTrout]

I moved to this armpit I live in because 1. nursing education was good, had small class sizes, and was affordable - but more so because 2. They hire new grads galore. I knew I could get a good education, hop into the unit and facility of my choice, stick around to get some real experience....and one day move elsewhere. The facility I started at had a great new grad orientation for ICU that was so amazing I am sure they could have sold it to me rather than paid me to go through it.

I have plenty of coworkers that have come here from out of state for the same reason. I hate where I live with a passion, but the education, opportunity, and experience I am building for my career is priceless.

[Conqueror+, BSN, RN]

I vote Nay