Rural Nursing - How long do most nurses stay?

elkpark · Jul 20, 2017

I moved to a rural area when I first finished nursing school, many years ago, because I knew that employers in the city in which I went to school wouldn't hire people into specialties without two years of general med-surg experience and I didn't want to do that. My original plan was to take the job in my preferred specialty in the rural area for a year or two and then move on, but I ended up liking the area so much that I stayed. That was over 30 years ago. I've changed jobs many times since then, and I've moved to other states a few times, for various reasons, but I've always come back to that area (I'm in another state now, but I still own my house there and intend to return).

You never know how things are going to work out! :)

Best wishes for your journey --

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 20, 2017

If you are only willing to stay there a year, then I would say that was unfair to the employer. However, if you are willing to give it 2 or 3 years, then my conscience would clear.

frances81 · Jul 20, 2017

I guess the question goes for all jobs really. I know a lot of new grads are looking to put in that one year in med-surg and move on. Although rural nursing is harder to find ppl for.

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 20, 2017

I guess the question goes for all jobs really. I know a lot of new grads are looking to put in that one year in med-surg and move on. Although rural nursing is harder to find ppl for.

My answer above is the same for all jobs -- not just rural ones. One of the reason new grads have trouble finding good jobs is because employers are tired of being used/abused by new grads who just want to consume their scarce educational resources for a year -- and then leave for a job they want more.

JKL33 · Jul 20, 2017

One of the reason new grads have trouble finding good jobs is because employers are tired of being used/abused by new grads who just want to consume their scarce educational resources for a year -- and then leave for a job they want more.

I'm sorry but I'm going to present a different point-of-view. Employers are reaping the rewards of several different trends that are under their control and not nurses'. They can start with valuing/respecting their experienced nurses so that they can avoid cyclically losing the backbone of their unit. Next, they can provide adequate orientation processes with mentors who enjoy mentoring, instead of throwing brand new grads out with already-stressed staff and expecting them to keep up the same pace, or with nurses who don't really have enough experience themselves to do any justice to the orientation process. Those are easy #1 and #2 right off the top of my head.

It was all fun and games when they were labeling experienced nurses as being "afraid of change" and telling them all to read "Who moved my cheese?", and not at all valuing their experienced staff through the recent rapid transitions we've all been through. The made no bones in letting everyone know that it was "my way or the highway".

I didn't personally get caught up in it, but I've seen plenty of excellent nurses devastated. They knew they could easily be replaced by new grads...and a lot of them were/still are being. If that mentality is not working out for hospitals at this juncture, I'm sorry but I have zero sympathy. Negative sympathy actually.

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 20, 2017

I'm sorry but I'm going to present a different point-of-view. E.

I don't disagree with some of things you said in the above post ... but that isn't very relevant to the OP's question. I was trying to answer the question asked to start this thread about whether it was fair to employers for a new grad to take a job knowing that she had no plans to stay more than a year. How some hospitals have treated experienced nurses isn't really relevant to that issue.

Regardless of how some hospitals have treated their experienced nurses (or how badly some orientation programs are) ... a good hospital that tries to treat its new employees well will spend approximately a year's salary to orient a new grad. To take all that education with no intention of working for that employer for more than a year is not very fair to the employer who has invested that much into developing your skills is not very fair to that employer.

Also, being a good preceptor/mentor can be hard work. People who do it regularly only to have the new grad leave soon after a short time often end up feeling used and abused. The new grad who doesn't stay long enough to be a useful employee not only hurts the employer financially, she personally hurts the preceptors and mentors (real people) who gave of themselves in order to help him/her become a successful professional.

When many orientees leave soon after hire, employers become hesitant to give people a chance ... hesitant to invest in good orientations ... hesitant to invest in residencies and mentorships ... hesitant to hire new grad and anyone else who looks like a flight risk. It also becomes to find nurses to precept such people and mentor them after those staff nurses have given so much of themselves to orientees in the past only to watch them leave.

Yes ... hospitals should treat their employees well -- better than they often have in the past. But new grads also need to be aware of how their choices reflect upon other new grads. The choices they make will influence the decisions that employers and potential preceptors/mentors will make in the future about whether or not new grads are worth the investment. And the decisions that previous new grads have made have influenced the decisions that employers and staff are making today.

So ... yes ... to take a job and consume all the education and support available in a new grad orientation when you have no intention of staying more than a year ... is not a nice thing to do.

allnurses Guide · Jul 20, 2017

Rural nursing tends to let you see a little of everything, basic medsurg right up to some intense critical patients. The intense may not stay long but you still have to stabilize and treat while waiting for transport. You may find you get to do more, since rural spots don't usually have large dedicated-to-one-thing floors. You just might end up loving the variety and not want to leave! I did some student (distance) rotations in rural spots, and loved it.

I would ask about the turnover rate where ever you go, if new grads are leaving in droves, I would be suspicious at how well they are oriented or treated.

LLG is right, leaving after that first year just when you are getting settled and reliable, is not nice. Having said that, more than 30 years ago I left after my grad year and never even considered what it meant. But back then, orientation was more like 6 weeks, we were expected to hit the floor mostly ready to go.

JKL33 · Jul 20, 2017

Also, being a good preceptor/mentor can be hard work. People who do it regularly only to have the new grad leave soon after a short time often end up feeling used and abused. The new grad who doesn't stay long enough to be a useful employee not only hurts the employer financially, she personally hurts the preceptors and mentors (real people) who gave of themselves in order to help him/her become a successful professional.

I guess I never looked at it that way, and for a straight number of years did nothing but full-time mentor nurses new to the unit, mostly new grads. This involved didactics and my favorite part - bedside nursing. It was almost like an extension of nursing school and clinical. Not that long ago at all. Anyway, a good number of them stayed in their positions, but that's also the age/time of life that people like to start families or get married (possibly reducing hours or moving away), or take travel jobs and see the country etc., I guess I just never felt anything but privileged to have helped them get started in their nursing journey. But my perspective is different because I wasn't carrying my own full assignment while doing this other role, and I saw it as investing in another nurse's future.

I have strong feelings about recent corporate healthcare trends, so I'll let this go. Thanks for your reply.:)

frances81 · Jul 20, 2017

I should clarify - I'm not a new grad, I was just referring how I know many new grads have that mentality. I've been working in LTC mostly for the past 3 years. I've been applying to more rural areas as there's not much opportunity for external hires in the city I've recently moved to and I keep reading one should go rural to get a foot in the door - at this point it's really just a hypothetical/ planning question.

allnurses Guide · Jul 20, 2017

Personally I feel the hospitals do not hesitate to lay off staff and let people go regardless of how long they have employed them if it is in the hospital's best interest to do so. Therefore I am going to live my life and chase my employment opportunities as they best serve me. There is no loyalty toward employees anymore....yet we are shamed if we are not loyal for at least two years. Nonsense. If it is a good situation I will stay. If it isn't, I will go and I won't lose a bit of sleep over it.

If you want to move, go try it out. Stay a year. Do what works for you.

frances81 · Jul 20, 2017

in nursing school almost every single instructor said to get at least a year of med-surg nursing, which would imply that at least among instructors - that a year would be considered acceptable (?)