Petition to help new grads get experience

[Brian, ASN, RN]

In light of the struggles that new grads are having securing a job, this petition may be of interest to many of you.

allnurses.com has nothing to do with this petition. We are not endorsing it at all. We are just sharing this to let you know it exist for discussion purposes.

You can find the petition here: Create a Plan to Help New Graduate Nurses Gain the Experience Needed to get a Nursing Job.

Please post your opinions here as well!

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I cannot sign the petition, as I do not agree with any of the proposed solutions.

I disagree in broad principle with the idea that "President Obama can help new graduate nurses gain the experience needed to get a nursing job". Are we saying that we want the president of the United States to say to the American people: At a time of economic difficulty and sweeping changes in the financing of the health care industry, I want to impose on health care facilities to hire less experienced nurses to take care of patients? Very wrong, on many levels, IMO.

1. Is AN suggesting that Congress (not the president) revise the Internal Revenue Code to make changes in federal income tax for nurses who mentor "apprentice" nurses? Does an individual nurse have the ability to "take on" an apprentice? HR/payroll/individual unit management would then be required to communicate with the IRS that XX, RN precepted YY, RN during the tax year? Oh and hey -- I filled in for XX, RN's regular preceptor while she was absent for 3 days ... where's my IRS form?

2. Are externships programs directly federally funded now, or is AN asking for a new federal program?

3. Is AN suggesting that federal regulation of orientation programs would somehow increase employment of new graduate nurses?

I ask that AN strongly reconsider revoking or extensively rewording this "petition". Thank you.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Suggest moving to whatever thread covers political advocacy.

[Brian, ASN, RN]

AN is not suggesting anything :) We are simply sharing this petition and letting people know it exist, no endorsement was intended. I'll edit the original post to indicate that we are not endorsing it.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Thank you for the clarification.

I am once again disappointed to see "nurses" represented as uninformed about the operations of both the health care industry and the federal government.

If the creator of the petition, "Bonnie E" of Brooklyn, NY is an AN member, I hope that s/he will reconsider the wording.

[tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN]

Maybe we can brainstorm and discuss some possilble solutions to this issue here.

[Susie2310]

I don't agree with the proposed solutions either, as they do not address the reasons new grads are unable to get jobs, i.e. there is a surplus of nurses due to many factors (increased government and private funding for nursing education, economic factors, changes in health care delivery, employer preference for nurses with a few years of experience due to the expense of training new grads). The proposed solutions do not address the causes - they ask for more federal funding for the health care industry, tax incentives for nurses, and do not protect the quality of patient care.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Ill-conceived actions like this petition make nursing look bad and do more to hurt the profession than help it. Nurses should educate themselves about the political process -- and the issues involved in the nursing job market -- before taking such public actions.

[Tatinha]

I believe those are possible suggestions for reducing the number of unemployed new graduate nurses who might leave the profession, thus causing a possible nursing shortage in the future.

And yes, the government has done and provided incentives to employers to hire and create jobs in the past. Ex: corporations sometimes receive tax breaks in some areas if they place their company where jobs are needed. States do that to attract business.

Another example is a recent push for international students receiving US degrees in fields like engineering to obtain a green card so they can stay and close the gap on shortage of these professionals. Here is the link for the article about it. A little of topic here, but it gives an idea how congress can do something about it and has done so.

Republicans Eliminate Diversity Visa Lottery Through STEM Bill

The truth is that, it is difficult for everyone. And although new graduate nurses are having difficult finding employment now, I truly believe this is temporary. The future is bright for everyone in healthcare. We are better off then many other types of careers. Or at least I hope so.

[Mulan]

Nuts!

Talk about entitlement!

[Susie2310]

Nuts!

Talk about entitlement!

I take it you are speaking about the health care industry.

[Mulan]

I take it you are speaking about the health care industry.

''

I am speaking about the petition.