Retrogression / In-sourcing Foreign Nurses / Recession???

[americanurse]

i am a new college graduate and passed the nclex-rn exam more than a month ago. i'm an american citizen with social security and driver's license, etc. i just wonder why some healthcare/political institution kept claiming that united states have shortage of nurses but until now i couldn't find a job as new registered nurse. i've been applying online and submitted my hard copied resumes to hospitals around northern virginia, washington dc and southern maryland but it's been a month and i haven't got any phone call/email from these hospitals i applied to. i browsed through this internet nurses forum- allnurses.com and did find out that i'm not the only american new registered nurse who has this kind of problem. is the shortage real and/or it's because of our current economic status and/or because of cheaper laborers for hospital owners? no offense to foreign nurses but im starting to lose my patience looking for a job!!! please notify or email your congress, labor dept, health dept, board of nursing about this problem...being an american registered nurse is useless!!! can't find a job!!!

[meluhn]

Part of the problem is that retention is so poor in hospitals that they are reluctant to hire new grads only to lose them within a year or so. It is cheaper for them to hire a foreign nurse who is already trained and can jump right in and works all kinds of crazy OT (in order to send money home to family). Also, they can only hire so many new grads because it takes preceptors willing to train them. Too many new grads on a floor is also a problem. Times are tough all around but hang in there, your day will come. Have you considered an LTAC? They seem to be hiring by me and they are excellent places to learn. You will be certified in telemetry, work with vents and very complex pts. Good Luck

[americanurse]

preception and training of new grad should be required and mandated to the hospital by the dept of labor or by the state. the problem is how could you have an experience if no one would hire you as the hospitals are requiring to have an atleast a year of experience. i tried LTAC but it was too bad that the ones i applied to also requires 1 year of experience and downgrading number of employees.

[meluhn]

preception and training of new grad should be required and mandated to the hospital by the dept of labor or by the state. the problem is how could you have an experience if no one would hire you as the hospitals are requiring to have an atleast a year of experience. i tried LTAC but it was too bad that the ones i applied to also requires 1 year of experience and downgrading number of employees.

I agree. Even areas that used to train people, like LTC are now asking you to have experience.