RNs tell your hospitals to hire new grads

. . .If you are in denial that home health - the ultimate realm of the RN is not going to grow then god bless you. The doctors can't go into homes and provide skilled nursing care and the unlicensed personnel aren't qualified. Whos going to do it?

Home care is not the ultimate realm of the RN. The unlicensed personnel are going to do it. They already are doing it. In California, anyway. Every year, we see the paid hours of skilled nursing drop, and the hours of home health aides rise in proportion. A patient in homecare here may not see a nurse more than 4 hours (usually less than that) a month to do their recertifications. Some never see the patient and go by what the last 485-form and I guess hope nobody reglected to mention they were hospitalized and have a brand new 485.

This is a prime example of "what seems like it should be true is true" speculation. You need to look thoroughly under the surface, because you see that your assumption that homehealth will save the RN jobs is not what it appears at all. Did you know that a medicaid patient on a trach/vent can hire all their own caregivers up to and including their own family? Their paychecks come right from the state of California.

Other "seems like it should be true is true" ideas are the massive rush into the system from HCR and the massive rush out of babyboomers you feel are bumping median ages of nurses to unacceptable levels.

We looked for jobs, and no one "supported us." What do you mean, "Old nurses..."?

You're really 61 years old?

No, as you can see I'm a new grad looking for a job too

I think perhaps it's confusing, since the age in your profile says 61, but you're a new grad...?

As I said, then these persons are not "desperate".

Reiterating my point, if your definition of "desperate" is the new requirement to become employed in nursing, then it reflects a massive misinformation problem between what nursing school applicants are being sold by the schools/media/industry, and what the industry really is. If students knew your "desperate" reality, nursing schools would be closing and begging for people to apply.

Exactly. And these days, its also WHO you know that lands the offers. Making connections in various ways is often the best method to landing the job. For example, the students that make the effort to stand out while in school, and get themselves noticed are often finding work faster. When I graduated last year, this was the case for some of us. It is very competitive. Often, the people who are just sending out resumes are finding the search more challenging than those people who made their connections.

This is a numbers game, and a saturated market obviously means that more people will remain unemployed or underemployed. Same with teachers and every other profession at the moment. Also, knowing that the major cities are highly populated AND have massive hiring freezes means few jobs there. So relocation is the key. There are always Nursing Jobs in more rural areas. So if you really want to work bad enough, you figure out a way to move. Sure, this may be less than ideal, and more challenging to do, but, how much do you want that first job?? Realistically, the market is not going to open up any time soon.

Or, you may choose to remain in the city. But know that you might very well be hitting the pavement hard until that first nursing job happens. Again, it's the same for everyone else looking for work right now. Why anyone would want to spend time in school, and be responsible for people's lives to ask for minimum wage is beyond me. Even to obtain the experience. The majority of nurses will never advocate for this, because doing so devalues the profession overall.

The very title of this post, coupled with the general "poor me" attitude found amongst the younger generation seems to be all too common these days, sadly. Now, I'm not that old. However, I can say in my late 30's that there is definitely a different perspective shared. It just seems that often (not always) this younger generation of 20 somethings fail to truly grasp the concept of WORK. And, before I get flamed, which, really, I don't care if I do by them, I used to hire and train people in my previous profession. I noticed this entitlement attitude there too.

Keep this is mind please: life is sometimes challenging. And life owes you NOTHING. You have to work for what you want.

I think perhaps it's confusing, since the age in your profile says 61, but you're a new grad...?

It's not really that confusing. They went back to school in their late 50s. I had one in my graduating class and there have been a few posters here that are older new grads.

Exactly. And these days, its also WHO you know that lands the offers. Making connections in various ways is often the best method to landing the job. For example, the students that make the effort to stand out while in school, and get themselves noticed are often finding work faster. When I graduated last year, this was the case for some of us. It is very competitive. Often, the people who are just sending out resumes are finding the search more challenging than those people who made their connections.

This is a numbers game, and a saturated market obviously means that more people will remain unemployed or underemployed. Same with teachers and every other profession at the moment. Also, knowing that the major cities are highly populated AND have massive hiring freezes means few jobs there. So relocation is the key. There are always nursing jobs in more rural areas. So if you really want to work bad enough, you figure out a way to move. Sure, this may be less than ideal, and more challenging to do, but, how much do you want that first job?? Realistically, the market is not going to open up any time soon.

Or, you may choose to remain in the city. But know that you might very well be hitting the pavement hard until that first nursing job happens. Again, it's the same for everyone else looking for work right now. Why anyone would want to spend time in school, and be responsible for people's lives to ask for minimum wage is beyond me. Even to obtain the experience. The majority of nurses will never advocate for this, because doing so devalues the profession overall.

The very title of this post, coupled with the general "poor me" attitude found amongst the younger generation seems to be all too common these days, sadly. Now, I'm not that old. However, I can say in my late 30's that there is definitely a different perspective shared. It just seems that often (not always) this younger generation of 20 somethings fail to truly grasp the concept of WORK. And, before I get flamed, which, really, I don't care if I do by them, I used to hire and train people in my previous profession. I noticed this entitlement attitude there too.

Keep this is mind please: life is sometimes challenging. And life owes you NOTHING. You have to work for what you want.

I'm more your age. I wouldn't flame you for this attitude. I might point out the importance of not using the OP or younger people on here in general as your test population for any generation's "maturity" or personality. I see you said you precept a lot of younger folk so I realize you didn't do this, but maybe being on here around the "younger crowd" who frequent allnurses slanted your opinion a little.

I see definite differences between my generation and the ones immediately following mine. Views on religion, politics, proper etiquette..........heck, well, just about anything of any importance...........are so completely different. It used to be that one generation was much like the last except for this or that tweek. Not so anymore. The differences are numerous and large.

I often find myself being impressed with the younger nurses who work at my facility. There is most certainly a sense of entitlement there, I'll give you that, even the ones I like display it. On the other hand, they seem to "get it" as far as playing the politics with admin. goes more so than my generation. Sometimes I wonder if my generation are the fools for being lured in by "donkey carrot" games by admin. and believing admin. are out friends.

That sense of entitlement can often be an ally. I know of a few younger nurses who (more quickly than I) got out of a toxic environment on this unit I left recently. Most transfered to other units in the hospital, some went to different hospitals completely. Seemed they knew something I didn't. Conditions have gotten worse at my hospital overall, but on that unit............much more so than anywhere else. They can't hire and keep anyone to save their lives. And all the young "entitled" nurses who moved on a long time ago are happy and content.

So, their sense of entitlement was a very powerful force in a positive way for them. I have personality traits like that..........sometimes they help, other times the don't. Its what makes me different.

Honestly, although in no way/shape or form anything like the way OP described it..............I think a little "entitlement" would go a long way for nursing right now.

Yes this is true. And again, I am speaking more in general terms here, not necessarily about the OP. Also, I do realize that this entitlement attitude does not apply for everyone. Of course not. There are amazing young people out there. However, I still think this attitude gets you nowhere fast.

RN77something: I think after 20+ years, I am pretty fluent about the nursing role, lol, and I don't need you to school me but thanks. Maybe you are right, I don't have a crystal ball. My point is not to count on it, but go ahead if it makes your day brighter. I don't need a job, so I'm not worried about it!

BTW, we don't have infusion nurses here anymore, we teach family members to give IV tx, chemo (yes, really) and abx at home. We are probably an anomoly though, I doubt that this any other kind of kind of money saving venture will ever be attempted anywhere else. Medicaid and medicare money is bottomless and will pay for unlimited nursing care for everyone forever and ever. Amen.

No, as you can see I'm a new grad looking for a job too

Uhm, it says it right there...Age: 61. I'm looking right at it.

Reiterating my point, if your definition of "desperate" is the new requirement to become employed in nursing, then it reflects a massive misinformation problem between what nursing school applicants are being sold by the schools/media/industry, and what the industry really is. If students knew your "desperate" reality, nursing schools would be closing and begging for people to apply.

Caveat emptor ... unfortunately. You are right and that is what should be happening. The thing is schools are ALL about the profits these days and pumping out nurses who come in desperate for a career change is a cash cow. I would tell any student in a nursing program right now to reconsider and look into something else. The economy and job market suck for just about everyone, except maybe finance, economics, or accounting. Those would be my top choices of major to tell anyone thinking about nursing to consider instead.

I agree about the desperation though. If you are not willing to move where the jobs are, you are not that desperate. Many people are having to relocate for jobs these days, or have always had to because of the career they had. The days of being able to work in your comfort zone and backyard may be behind us.

Question for you... how old is too old; how fat is too fat?

I think I see your point regarding "able to do the job" but that's an individual thing, not based on someone's perception of "too old" or "too fat."

I've known and still know several nurses who are "old" or "fat" or "old and fat" who I'd still choose over someone young and/or inexperienced.

Ok, lets just put it this way...we call one of our nurses the "pre-penicillin nurse"...think about it.

One of our nurses has GRANDCHILDREN! that are nurses, and one of her grandchild nurses is having a child. Yes, she is going to be a great-grandma.

...its not the age i dont mind. Because they are good nurses, they know alot and are very compassionate. But when they cannot physically do the labor that is being asked of them, i think thats when it's time to start thinking of something they are capable of doing.

, Im just saying im sick of doing their work for them because "They have a bad back" or "need to rest"

Our patients get turned every 2 hours, and its the job of the RN and the CNA to do their own patients TOGETHER. So every 2 hours we get together with our RN and turn our patients that need to be turned or can't do it themselves.

but when im paired with these nurses (Im still a CNA-transitioning into RN role), i get REALLY frustrated because i have to wait until the other nurses or the other CNA's are done with their patient's so i can get mine turned because the nurse i'm with can't do it, because of her "bad back"

i just had physical eval they do for a job, and it was a requirment that i could lift "50 lbs" Hey...no problem for me!! I'm 22 years old. I can lift 50 lbs. But these nurses im talking about couldnt lift 10 lbs! So what makes it ok for them to not be able to lift 50 lbs.??

But....if i am assigned with a 70 year old something nurse that can physically do the work, without putting extra work on me or other coworkers then GREAT! more power to him/her.

It's easy to sit back and defend these specific nurses, but when you are placed in the position of getting the extra work load, or patient's care is being minimized because their nurse can't do the physical labor, then something needs to change!!