I'm so sick of being accused of trying to discourage potential nursing students when I tell them the job market is tight or that many new grads are having a hard time getting jobs.
They usually say to me, "well, I'm different and its really my dream and I have always wanted to be a nurse". Then I say, "Well,what about the others who thought the same as you and are unemployed?" Then I add, "You may end up working in a nursing home or home health, will you be okay with that? "They then respond, "No,I want to work in the area I choose, and it will happen because it's my dream."
I am in no way trying to discourage them, but I also don't want to lie to them and say there are plenty of jobs in any specialty you want.
Then when they graduate they end up asking why no one told them the truth. I even tell them to read Allnurses and the troubles new grads are having. They then respond "well it has always been my dream and nothing is going to stop me. Some people are trying to discourage me because they don't want others to take their jobs and make as much money as they do."
Is there any other way that I could bring up the subject with statistics and without it making it seem I'm trying to discourage others?
I don't understand the purpose. I mean I don't understand what you expect them to say to you. Do you want them to just say "oh really? then I am quitting nursing!". You told them what you have heard or experienced. Okay. If they have high hopes or still want to pursue this, let it be. Jobs may be tight. So?
Everybody finds jobs; here or there. May or may not be their dream area at first. There is no need to dramatize this like they are going to starve after graduating.
You sound so pressurizing to this person. Economy is tight, not just nursing. Any other profession isn't any better right now. No point in arguing with someone for this, in my opinion.
I seem to attract various pre-nursing or pre-nursing wannabe students. And I don't even go out socializing in my scrubs.
Just bite your tongue. I graduated in May of 2011, spent eight months getting that lauded hospital job.
People ask for my advice quite a bit. (I think I started a thread about this? Sheesh, guys.) "I would suggest volunteering at a hospital or in the medical field and, if at all possible, working as a CNA. If you get into nursing school, I would highly suggest getting a nursing assistant job as soon as possible."
We need nurses! I try to encourage students. Its hard enough to be in nursing school right now. If they ask, then tell them what you know in a caring way. I wouldn't offer unsolicited "statistics". Nurses are hard enough on new nurses as it is I think we need to edify and encourage them to not give up. They will find a job somewhere!
I think I "get" what you are saying. I'm married to a "head-in-the-clouds" nurse. Head-in-the-cloud got the exact job as targeted in school absolutely against all odds. I would have never guessed it was possible. I'm a feet-on-the-ground kind of nurse. I'd stick with a single conversation about the issue and then drop it. No amount of lead can get head-in-the-clouds back on solid ground and you just end up getting bruised jumping up there all the time trying to convince them to come down. :)
I'm going to give it you the answer from both perspectives:
The student does not want to hear that their hopes and dreams will not come true. It's human nature. Think of every reality competition show you've watched (if you have): "I want to be (Top Chef, American Idol, Next Top Model) more than ANYONE here. I deserve this, I've been dreaming of this for as long as I can remember." Or anything else in life. Think of people who cannot have kids, or those who want 6,7 8 kids ("It has always been my dream to have a big family", meanwhile they have no job, place to live or partner). Anyway, you get the point, right?
The nurse (you, me- the instructor, and the seasoned nurses) wants to give the students a realistic outlook. If I had a dollar for every student I've taught that is going to work in Labor and Delivery, I'd be retired (and I am way too young). While I think it's great to have a long-term goal (as I did with teaching), it amazes me how so many people believe they are that special that they will land their dream job immediately. I blame it on the parenting, and the 'you can do anything you want' attitude.
The bottom line: too many people do not know the meaning of the word NO.
Does is mean that anyone who graduates nursing from the time you started speaking to these people won't get a job ?
Does it mean that there will be no Nursing jobs ever when they graduate?
Does it mean that people should stop going to school for nursing?
Do you have any other profession that you can guarantee that they will get a job when they graduate?
What does it profit you to tell or try to convince them that they wont find a job when they graduate?
I am just trying to understand your purpose. No offense.
People are different and getting a job sometimes depends on where you apply, way you present yourself or what you have on your resume.
I could be a new grad. apply to hospitals that pay well or where a friend works or closer to me and not get a job, and then i come up here saying i can't find a job. Whereas i could have ignored applying for jobs at state prison. So one can't go by all you read on here about new grads, not saying there is jobs everywhere. Everyone with their own luck and sometimes it could be people you know. Just saying.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
We need nurses! I try to encourage students. Its hard enough to be in nursing school right now. If they ask, then tell them what you know in a caring way. I wouldn't offer unsolicited "statistics". Nurses are hard enough on new nurses as it is I think we need to edify and encourage them to not give up. They will find a job somewhere!
Well, right now we really don't NEED nurses......It's OK to follow your dreams but that doesn't mean that there will be work and you won't be able to pick and choose your shift or speciality.
Without a doubt, the main source of frustration experienced by recently graduated and licensed but still unemployed nurses is what could be called "the big lie."In other words, the television commercials that encourage young people to become nurses -- and then abandon them for months (or years) without employment; and the educators who tell them that the associate's degree is perfectly adequate to guarantee employment, that they will have their pick of jobs when they graduate, and that there is plenty of time to get a BSN later on. Who knows whether it is greed, ignorance, or wishful thinking that underlies the fairy tales told to nursing students about their future job prospects? Whatever the motivation, the disillusionment of our new grads is palpable. The jobs they expected after all of their hard work just haven't materialized, and some grads are getting pretty desperate
It's that time of year again. Graduating nursing students are preparing to take the NCLEX and are looking for their first jobs. This year, many are finding those first jobs in short supply.
Reports are rampant of new graduates being unable to find open positions in their specialty of choice, and even more shockingly, many are finding it tough to find any openings at all.
These new RNs entered school with the promise that nursing is a recession-proof career. They were told the nursing shortage would guarantee them employment whenever and wherever they wanted.
So what happened? Has the nursing shortage--that we've heard about incessantly for years--suddenly gone away?
The short term answer is clearly yes, although in the long term, unfortunately, the shortage will still be there.
The recession has brought a temporary reprieve to the shortage. Nurses who were close to retirement have seen their 401(k) portfolios plummet and their potential retirement income decline. They are postponing retirement a few more years until the economy--and their portfolios--pick up.
Many nurses have seen their spouses and partners lose their jobs and have increased their hours to make ends meet for their families. Some who left the profession to care for children or for other reasons have rejoined the workforce for similar reasons.
In addition, many hospitals are not hiring. The recession brought hiring freezes to healthcare facilities across the country, and many are still in effect. Help wanted ads for healthcare professionals dropped by 18,400 listings in July, even as the overall economy saw a modest increase of 139,200 in online job listings.
[h=1]New reality for nurses: Not easy to find a job[/h]Nursing was pitched as a recession-proof job sector facing perennial shortages, but the Great Recession has left many recent nursing-school graduates and experienced nurses scrambling to find work.
Is it important to tell them the truth? Absolutely.
Is it necessary to push your opinion into them? Absolutely not.
People will believe what they want to believe. They will not appreciate you raining on their parade. You say your piece and walkaway. If they take your advice, good. If they don't, it's their life.
People always say don't take Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts because there isn't any money on the field. And yet, year after year people continue to apply. It is important for people to follow their dreams and see where it leads them. If it goes to bust, at least they gave it a shot. That's life.
We cannot rob hopes away from people because of the reality we are facing now. The recession is not going to last forever. Old nurses will eventually retire and we'll need new blood for nursing to evolve. Let them learn from it and let them decide to move away from it.
How many people actually come out of school with their dream job in any industry? Just because a nursing student is excited and hopeful that does not make them an idiot or mean that they assume life will be perfect after graduation. Every job market is struggling...does that mean every person considering a career change or just graduating from high school should just take an entry level position at 10$ an hour and try to make that work the rest of their lives? I think higher education will always be worth it even if you don’t get a job in your field right away. There is an ebb and flow in any job market and the skills you gain from any degree, certification, etc. will be helpful at some point in your life. I do agree that having huge amounts of student loans is a bad idea, but some people are determined to go through school regardless of the cost. I totally understand giving good, caring advice to a friend but I believe a lot of the negativity about the medical/nursing field has to do with people's own insecurities about their jobs. I also believe you should say what you believe and then be done with it...there is no reason to discourage someone from learning new skills...even if YOU believe they won’t be helpful in the future. Did someone tell you not to go into nursing when you were trying to get through school? If so I am sorry, but that doesn’t mean you should continue to spread the negative misconceptions and paranoia about nursing. There is an abundance of information about nursing job shortages all over the internet and all nurses is a good example of that...the nursing students in your life don’t need any more discouragement from their "friends" and family, there is plenty already to go around!
2:39 am by esme12 2:39 am by esme12 a member since aug '05 - from 'east coast'. esme12 has '33' year(s) of nursing experience and specializes in 'critical care, ed, cath lab,ctpac,trauma'. posts: 4,043 likes: 7,267
we need nurses! i try to encourage students. its hard enough to be in nursing school right now. if they ask, then tell them what you know in a caring way. i wouldn't offer unsolicited "statistics". nurses are hard enough on new nurses as it is i think we need to edify and encourage them to not give up. they will find a job somewhere!
well, right now we really don't need nurses......it's ok to follow your dreams but that doesn't mean that there will be work and you won't be able to pick and choose your shift or speciality.
so you mean nurses are not needed now? you mean people should stop becoming nurses? until? when nurses quit their jobs for one reason or the other or move to another state , who takes the open spots? who fills in spots when older nurses retire? what about hospitals that are still accepting new grads? so from this moment henceforth, new grads included, need to find something else doing and forget what they have worked for, since you mentioned nurses are not needed. i would like to know when you have an idea when nurses will be needed or they will never be needed forever?
do you know how many nurses lose their license everyday? do you know how many new grads that get hired that are not even part of allnurses forum?
i have also read on this site where people (i won't call them nurses) quit their jobs and come here to say nursing is not good or blah,blah, blah .... the fact that it doesn't work for them doesn't mean it won't work or is not working for other people.
the fact that american soldiers are dying in middle east, hasn't stopped people from joining the military. i think as a nurse people coming into the profession should be encouraged and negativity should be out of it. how many nurses here have been told they can't make it through nursing school, how many people here have been discouraged about nursing and it has been the best thing for them or decision they have ever made.
nothing personal, i just don't believe that i will read a statement like this on this site.
Seas
519 Posts
I don't understand the purpose. I mean I don't understand what you expect them to say to you. Do you want them to just say "oh really? then I am quitting nursing!". You told them what you have heard or experienced. Okay. If they have high hopes or still want to pursue this, let it be. Jobs may be tight. So?
Everybody finds jobs; here or there. May or may not be their dream area at first. There is no need to dramatize this like they are going to starve after graduating.
You sound so pressurizing to this person. Economy is tight, not just nursing. Any other profession isn't any better right now. No point in arguing with someone for this, in my opinion.