I was informed that the PTA program at my school had significantly less applicants this year, and someone accounted that to the poor economy. What's your opinion? I've heard that a poor economy causes an increase in students. But I can also see how it could cause less students.
If people can't afford to cut back on work to attend school, it would make sense for nursing programs to experience a lower # of applicants.
Interesting thread. I would have thought the present economy would
be all the more reason to invest in a nursing degree. I'm coming from a field that is pretty volatile in good times. So that's my motivation to get training and a license in something that's more stable.
Interesting thread. I would have thought the present economy would
be all the more reason to invest in a nursing degree. I'm coming from a field that is pretty volatile in good times. So that's my motivation to get training and a license in something that's more stable.
I would think so! But not everyone agrees with me...
I have a friend that is barely making it on his current income. There have been lay offs at his job and he is in fear of getting cut. His education is 15 years old and he is one of the higher paid employees. Bottom line he has a target on his forehead, he knows this and still will not do anything.
I've been telling him for at least a year that he needs to go back to school. He agrees but won't make the change. Call it fear, change resistance or just plain stuborn...I think a lot of people feel the same way.
You and I would call it an "investment". My friend looks at the "What ifs".
What if I fail? What if I don't make it? What if I can't get a job when I graduate?
So he thinks he's better off where he is because there is a chance that he might not get fired and his life will continue unchanged.
Anyone remember the story about Sniff and Scury? Who Moved My Cheese?
I think that within a year or two, there will be a dramatic increase in nursing school applicants and to healthcare fields in general.
In this economy, only "safe" jobs are healthcare, engineers, accountants, and teachers. Everyone else seems to be expendable. Also, I'm one of them. I was in a completely different field and decided to switch to healthcare. And job stability was definitely a huge consideration.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I think that within a year or two, there will be a dramatic increase in nursing school applicants and to healthcare fields in general.
In this economy, only "safe" jobs are healthcare, engineers, accountants, and teachers. Everyone else seems to be expendable. Also, I'm one of them. I was in a completely different field and decided to switch to healthcare. And job stability was definitely a huge consideration.
Teaching is certainly not a safe career in many areas. I live in a large metro area in Texas where nearly 400 teachers were laid off very recently, and another 1,600 were encouraged to take early retirements due to budget shortfalls. Teacher layoffs are also occurring in other states such as California and Michigan.
Contrary to popular belief, nursing is definitely NOT recession-proof or "safe." It is a profession that is very vulnerable to shrinking budgets and dwindling consumer funds. People will always become sick and need healthcare, but an empty wallet will keep them away from healthcare facilities unless it is an imperative emergency. In many of these forums, newly graduated nurses are now complaining that they have not been able to find work and that no one will hire them.
During the recession of the early 1990s, some nurses would remain unemployed for 6 months or longer as they looked for jobs. This severe nursing glut continued well into the middle 1990s.
During recessions, patients avoid having elective surgeries because they are fearful of taking the time off work that is needed for full recovery, which results in low hospital census. When hospital census is low, less nurses are needed to keep the floor running.
More people become unemployed during these rough times and, as a result, lose their health insurance. Uninsured people are definitely not inclined to seek healthcare unless it is an absolute emergency. In addition, medical bills incurred by uninsured patients tend to go unpaid, which means less money for healthcare facilities.
I can see your point, but i feel like all those forces that may negatively impact nursing employment affects other industries even more so. So relatively speaking, nursing and any healthcare field is in good shape. This is coming from someone who has a previous liberal arts degree and friends with masters degrees still making just above minimum wage.
Well, that would be nice here... In california they are cutting the number of people accepted into the CSUs by 10,000 students this next fall. It really sucks, since I will be finished with my pre-reqs this summer. Guess I'll just have to get A's on my last classes and cross my fingers that one of the 4 CSUs I'm applying to not only accepts me into the college, but the nursing program also...
I can see both sides happening, maybe it is too early to tell lets give it a year and see what happens, whether the # of nursing applicants goes up or down.
I hope that my school has less applicants..I am applying for the nursing program next fall and I pray that I will get in 1 of the 4 schools I am applying to in my area...Also, I've been wondering, people who are just switching to Nursing because they want to be in a stable field, did they always want to be a nurse...because honestly if u dont have a general interest (dare I say passion), then u wont be satisfied with nursing...I know for a fact its not all peachy and rosey...U can get burned out easy....
To me, there are several reasons why nursing school enrollment is down....
The lower enrollment, is due to the decrease in availability of student loans, both government and private.
The private sector has all-but locked up. There will be less money available for loans for the 2009 to 2010 school year from the gov't and it's debatable whether they will be offered at fixed rates or if they will go back to ARMs.
When people don't know if the spouse that is working, is going to be able to keep their job, the other spouse can't quit.....this is true for the married folks.
If you are single, and you really, really need that part-time job, unless you are really sure you can keep it if you drop to part-time, you are going to delay your plans.
I do not believe in going into $80K in debt to get a nursing degree out of convenience. I just don't. You won't even make that much in your first year as a new grad.
At the end if my ADN, I think about $6,500 in tuition has been spent, another $1,500 in electronics, and other specialty items for school, but the biggest 'hit' has been me not working.
My husband has a job where he consults with companies that are in trouble...there are plenty of those to go around.
sunray12
637 Posts
Interesting thread. I would have thought the present economy would
be all the more reason to invest in a nursing degree. I'm coming from a field that is pretty volatile in good times. So that's my motivation to get training and a license in something that's more stable.