Nursing students not happy to hear about how tough it is to get started as a nurse

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I teach fundamentals and M/S clinical in NYC. I have a mix students in my class. My current group of 10 students are all young adults working on their first degree. The students have spoken with the unit nurses and have been informed about the competitive environment nurses must navigate to get a job and to progress up the career ladder. The students have expressed shock about the job market as they believe that we are still in a nursing shortage. When they asked me, I told them that new nurses are having a difficult time getting positions and that it is their responsibility as adults to investigate potential careers opportunities. The students expressed that they were told that their are jobs for everyone upon graduation and that hospitals are begging for nurses. I told them that was a while ago, for now hospitals and other employers are being selective about who they hire. The college usually discusses how to search for a job towards the last semester as part of their leadership class. My question is how do other educators or schools handle student unease with the current job market for nurses?

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Usually the schools will insist there are plenty of jobs. Admitting otherwise would be bad for business. As a nurse I see this all the time. New grads are dismayed that they won't get that dream job full time right out of school.

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Some educators are honest and explain the nursing surplus/shortage job market cycles to students. New grads need to know ahead of time they will be entering a saturated job market. They need to know volunteering, working as an aide or as a research assistant, can help their resume stand out and can lead to job referals. They need to look at the job market across the country and consider relocating to areas that have true shortages.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Some of the schools in my area will help students get their CNA license (can't remember which semester they do that in) and encourage them to apply for PRN hospital positions or nurse externships. They also help them make resumes, attend job fairs, coach then on interviews, ect...

Ideally i would think that the nursing guidance counselor would be realistic with the students as they get ready to enter the nursing program. Schools are a business though, and they benefit from the students believing this way.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Many also ignore evidence of a shortage of jobs because they are "special" and will get their dream job right out of school because they have a plan. Special snowflakes you know.

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My school (in the early 2000's) made us sign a truth in advertising form prior to starting the program that stated:

X% of the students in this program scheduled to graduate in (year) went on to graduate.

X% of students passed the NCLEX

X% of the students scheduled to graduate in that year have reported finding employment in this field.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Many also ignore evidence of a shortage of jobs because they are "special" and will get their dream job right out of school because they have a plan. Special snowflakes you know.
You hit the nail on the head. Just because unemployment is happening to other recent college grads, many individuals are thinking, "It can't happen to me! There's a nursing shortage! Maybe the others didn't try hard enough!"
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Specializes in School nursing.

When I was in school on day one, they was honest about the tough market (especially saturated in my area) and how you needed to start building relationships with clinical instructors, preceptors from day one. Really talked about networking as a tool to get your first nursing job; also talked about working as a CNA as part of that networking. I appreciated their honesty. So while the job search was frustrating, it wasn't surprising, and therefore I was better prepared to deal with it.

Thank you, OP, for the honest responses you gave your students.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
When I was in school on day one, they was honest about the tough market (especially saturated in my area) and how you needed to start building relationships with clinical instructors, preceptors from day one. Really talked about networking as a tool to get your first nursing job; also talked about working as a CNA as part of that networking.

Thank you and thank your instructor for giving you excellent advice. When I graduated there was no shortage but common sense dictated that I treat every clinical as an extended job interview. I can't emphasize enough how much my professional contacts have propelled my career. At least in my area, which is a large one, it is all about who you know and who you didn't piss off, lol.

Good luck to all new grads looking.

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When I was in nursing school (2008-2010) and we were told we would have a hard time getting a job, I didn't want to hear it! Not that I thought I was a special snowflake or would be a better nurse than my classmates. More of an "out of sight, out of mind" scenario. I didn't want to talk about it or hear about it because it added more stress to an already stressful time-- struggling financially, working, had a 4 year old and 8 month old twins, had (past tense) a husband that would not do housework (even more evident now that we are divorced and I've seen his place) or help with the kids if I was home. Even though I knew it was true, I didn't want to keep hearing how I would probably continue to struggle after finishing school.

And it did take a while to find a job once I was done with school. I graduated in July 2010 and finally found a part-time job in February 2011.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
When I was in nursing school (2008-2010) and we were told we would have a hard time getting a job, I didn't want to hear it! Not that I thought I was a special snowflake or would be a better nurse than my classmates. More of an "out of sight, out of mind" scenario. I didn't want to talk about it or hear about it because it added more stress to an already stressful time-- struggling financially, working, had a 4 year old and 8 month old twins, had (past tense) a husband that would not do housework (even more evident now that we are divorced and I've seen his place) or help with the kids if I was home. Even though I knew it was true, I didn't want to keep hearing how I would probably continue to struggle after finishing school.

And it did take a while to find a job once I was done with school. I graduated in July 2010 and finally found a part-time job in February 2011.

Well congratulations for finishing under all the added stress and getting started in nursing! I wonder if you were willing and able to consider the prospect that it would be difficult to find your first position would have have, in hindsight, done anything different? Not that it would change anything for you but it might help someone in a similar position now.

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Well congratulations for finishing under all the added stress and getting started in nursing! I wonder if you were willing and able to consider the prospect that it would be difficult to find your first position would have have, in hindsight, done anything different? Not that it would change anything for you but it might help someone in a similar position now.

Thank you! Honestly, knowing where I am now, I may not have pursued nursing at all. I do enjoy it, but working weekends and holidays has been more difficult than I anticipated. My ex husband is not very willing to accommodate my schedule (despite the fact that he does not work and/or pay child support) so I have to pay babysitters or rely on family (who are MORE than willing to help-- I have an amazing family!). I took a job as a school nurse to allow me the most time with my kids and to avoid paying a few thousand a month in child care in the summer but had to take a massive pay cut for it, so I work another job as well. As the saying goes... If I knew then, what I know now.... I would have pursued teaching. Same schedule, significantly higher pay (at least in IL, I know many states pay their school nurses on a higher pay scale)

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