rn jobs- decline of Michigan?

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Hi- I am just browsing on this site- coming from Michigan- UM and Oakland U many years ago, I was curious about how the nursing job situation has come through the Michigan Fall. I have read many of your posts, and it seems like it is not a good situation. I read about severe short staffing in many of your hospitals, hospitals either refusing to hire, or is it that there is nobody left there to hire? Have the majority of nurses left for other states, either to find a better job, or because their SO has had to go to another state to get a job and the SO nurse went also. I left Michigan in 1987, feeling then, that there was going to be a downfall in the automotive field. Seems I was almost 15 years too early, but I still have friends in Michigan both nurses and non nurses who say it has changed drastically- for the worse. How, if any, has this last few years affected nurses? How stable are the nursing jobs(no, I have no interest in coming back). Tell me about your security, your nurse/pt ratios. Whatever you are inclined to tell, I will listen. Best to you all! A former Michigander.

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Are we talking about the same state? Hospitals are crazed trying to hire nurses. Their websites have full-time listings in almost every department for nurses. New nurses are recruited with with thousands of dollars in bonuses.

Discouraged workers may be dragging their nurse spouses with them to another state, but colleges are adding student nurses to their rolls as fast as they can find nursing instructors - certainly the biggest block in not turning out MORE nurses in the next few years. Waitlists are in the 1.5 - 2 year mark to get into nursing school, as most of the secure, high-paying jobs have vanished as our state continues to struggle across the board.

As to nurse/patient ratios, that's not a problem Michigan owns. Every state forum on allnurses will cite inadequate staffing.

There are other issues that nurses are concerned about, but again, it's not a Michigan thing. Insane JHACO paperwork, the 'patient is always right' mentality and obsession with high P-G scores, benefit cutbacks and other concerns are the issues I hear bandied about back and forth at work.

FYI, I am a nurse extern, so I've only been exposed to this field a short time. Many of the people I am graduating with this spring are looking for their first jobs outside of Michigan, and one young gal has arranged to take her boards in Florida, so she can work at that Disney hospital in Celebration, Fla. They don't want to get stuck getting married and raising a family here, fleeing to a more economically secure, WARMER state.

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I was just wondering. The 2 year wait to get into nurse school is not new- 30 years ago it was the same. I can't blame a new grad for running away as fast as he/she can if the way things are going in MI continues!

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Are we talking about the same state? Hospitals are crazed trying to hire nurses. Their websites have full-time listings in almost every department for nurses. New nurses are recruited with with thousands of dollars in bonuses.

I was thinking the op was asking about economics related to nursing. As a student, I wonder the same thing. My husband works in the auto industry and we are lucky he is still employed. i wonder how much longer he will be. I'm glad you think nursing still has job security in Michigan. I hope you are right! However, if we keep having the massive exodus of the population, you gotta figure there won't be so many patients to nurse!

I want to stay here because our whole family is here and this is where we have built our life. And, I do love Michigan even on these cold, snowy days! But if we cant find employment, it makes no sense to stay.

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Michigangirl- Yes, that is what I was asking! I have friends/family who would like me to move back to Michigan, but I am just a bit too leary about Michigan future! I loved the 4 seasons, but a gal has to work.... Friends/family are trying to talk me back with the low pricing of houses!! Nope- I left in 1986-7, and it has only gotten worse!

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Specializes in L&D.

Hi there,

So far, I haven't seen it. I live on the west side of the state and have no problems with receiving job offers. If I was working in a situation where we were understaffed etc, I simply wouldn't work there. I love, love, love my job as an l&d nurse. I've also done Neuro/Trauma and Homecare. I enjoyed all of my positions and they were all great situations to work for.

Luckily, my husband doesn't work for the auto industry. But, yes. I believe if he were to become unemployed, that would be a reason to leave. Certainly not because of the lack of nursing jobs or poor environments to work for.

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Specializes in Trauma/Burn ICU.
Hi there,

So far, I haven't seen it. I live on the west side of the state and have no problems with receiving job offers.

Jen touched on the other side of the "Michigan Fall" that most of the rest of the country doesn't really hear about: Western Michigan is still doing very well, where they aren't as beholden to the auto industry and still get tourism out of the Chicago area. It's really SE Michigan that's hurting, but since that's the major population center of the state, that's all anyone hears about.

Personally, I take the view that this will not last forever, and I'm going to stick around to be here for the rebound. Granted, Ann Arbor has been more immune to Michigan's economic difficulties in the past, and UM and St. Joe's are still hiring like crazy, not to mention the massive backlog of nursing students (I hear that the UM Second Career program is going to be implementing a waiting list, the first since the program got overhauled 4 years ago). As far as a decrease in the patient population, I just don't see it. UM's new Cardiovascular Center was full within weeks of opening and St. Joe's new patient tower is getting close, not counting the units that still have yet to move out of the "Legacy Tower." The large medical centers will always have patients, period. My job is secure, my wife's job (in healthcare, natch) is secure, and housing is getting cheaper; I see no reason to go anywhere.

Mike in Ann Arbor

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Yes, I do think that there are plenty of job opportunities as a nurse in MI. I just resigned from a RN position at a very busy under-staffed,crazy unit after working there for a mere 3 weeks. I started interviewing for other jobs after a week of the nonsense on that floor. In hindsight, I should have shadowed a nurse before accepting that crazy position as staff RN. Now, after going on five interviews and turning downs ones as well, I have found a job that appears to be good fit for me. So yes, I know that they are taking nurses left and right and as long as you are professional and willing to work, most hospitals don't care that you left another facility because they want you at theirs. Hospitals are still calling me asking for an interview to this day and I proudly tell them that I have accepted another job offer.

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Hi

Actually this is a question; and a request for reply.

For the last two years, I have been working in NY as RN. However, before two months I have now relocated to the State of MI, and am stuck up. My licence is not yet transferred. Since I have a permanent ID with CGFNS, I sent $75 for Credential evaluation, but the MI authorities needed something else. I again sent CGFNS $75, but they repeated the same process only, and the matter remains unsolved. Last week I downloaded a form for additional services (re-issue of CES) for $50; but no response yet.

I now curse myself for my blunder of relocating to MI; I already bought one house on mortgage; and seems I am stuck. Though I got a 'Provisional license" from MI; seems it is useless - most hospitals rejected me due to the 'provisional license'.

Anybody who have such a previous experience may please help me - what should I do next??:o

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

Are you a graduate of a foreign nursing school? Michigan recently eliminated the requirement for foreign nurse graduates to have passed the CGFNS examination prior to receiving endorsement of an out-of-state RN license. However, the instructions for endorsement for foreign nurse graduates licensed in another state still clearly indicate that CES and proof of English proficiency (both obtained from CGFNS) are still required. It also points out that passing the CGFNS exam can be used in place of the aforementioned requirements. If you have a CGFNS exam certificate, it may expedite your processing. Michigan is notorious for slow processing of endorsement from other states and I know that doesn't make you feel any better.

http://www.senate.michigan.gov/dem/HouseWatch/032907.pdf

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/cis_fhs_bhser_nurseendpkt_74432_7.pdf

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