Seriously...more supply than demand?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Can someone answer this questions:

1. When you see a job posted online for new grads, does it really exist? Why when u call or go in person the HR doesn't seem to care?

2. How many applicants usually apply for one position? Is it more than 500 per 1 position since more and more students graduate per semester? What does the future holds?

3. What do you do in your spare time besides looking for a job? How do you maintain a positive outlook?

4. Does your family and friends asked you why you're still unemployed as a nurse? What do you tell them?

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Well I have been and RN in California for 5 years. I was an ER nurse for 3 1/2years and charge nurse in an ambulatory clinic for 1 year. I have been unemployed for a little over a year and have literally applied for hundreds of jobs and got 1 interview. Yes, I also hear almost daily from friends (nurses) and family "what do you mean you can't find a job, that is ridiculous there are tons of nursing jobs out there." I have become extremely depressed this past year. But in my spare time I am taking care of my kids, I think I have changed my resume several times to try to make it look better.

I had a nurse recruiter call me last week, finally I was so excited only to return his call and hear sorry but we aren't training in any areas right now, but good luck in your nursing career. I almost started crying then I said "well what do you mean?, you hire new grads every 4-6 months and train them into all areas of the hospital." He immediately had a bad attitude and said have a nice day. Is this what I'm facing? getting turned away from everywhere I go. It is sad and disappointing to see that I feel I have wasted my life on a career that has been anything but kind to me. Good luck in your search, I have just about given up hope.:nurse:

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A few factors:

Thank Obama, back when he first got elected, he made a national address saying there was a nursing shortage and Americans looking for a hot job market to enter should study nursing. Americans answered in droves! There are a dozen nursing schools within a 30 mile radius from where I live. Everyone of them has some kind of waiting list.

The high turn over rate that student nurses counted on is down!.

Husbands have lost jobs or are insecure in there jobs which leads wife's who are nurses to stay on.

With so many Applicants, Hospitals can take thier sweet time and have the luxury of being picky. Some now only want those with BSN's or two or more years of specialty experience

Back when there was a so called "shortage" Some Hospitals started their own schools, so they give priority to hiring new grads from their schools...

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Specializes in Pedi Rehab,Pediatrics, PICU.

When I first graduated (Summer 2008), a recruiter actually told me that the newly posted "GN" position was because "we have about 200 GN applications coming in a day, so the GN position was listed to attract new nurses to apply there so we can free up time to lok at experienced RNs for the regular RN positions"! Can you believe that! I haven't really trusted too many GN/new grad positions since, but I keep applying anyway. If you keep throwing spaghetti at a wall, its bound to stick at some point. Just keep trying. I know its hard.

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I graduated in May 2010 here in Houston and have taken my NCLEX and recieved my license. I have also been looking for a job and have had no luck. I am soooooo sick of seeing job postings requiring experience. I have applied for internship after internship and have had only one interview. They say they have over 100 applicants and are only hiring 5,6, 20!!! It is very frustrating because financially I need a job. I currently work as a waitress and I'm also sick of people asking me why I don't have a job yet. My husband just said today that he wouldn't tell anyone to go into nursing. I'm beginning to agree. They make it too hard to get in the program, get through the program, and the stress still continues afterwards searching for employment. :crying2:

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A few factors:

Thank Obama, back when he first got elected, he made a national address saying there was a nursing shortage and Americans looking for a hot job market to enter should study nursing. Americans answered in droves! There are a dozen nursing schools within a 30 mile radius from where I live. Everyone of them has some kind of waiting list.

...

Obama's fault??? Lordy lordy...

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Specializes in neurotrauma ICU.
Obama's fault??? Lordy lordy...

get's old doesn't it?

"everything's Obama's fault, dontcha know?" (wink wink)

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Leave politics out of it. Bill Clinton did the same thing with Tech jobs, He made a address to the nation

saying that technology was the hot ticket for students to pursue and America answered. Tons of Tech schools popped up, teaching Java, PHP,VB++, Pearl etc. Then the Internet bubble burst happened. You underestimate the influence Presidents have own our educational direction. They can direct grants towards a specific type of education to fulfill a perceived need in society.

Take your Unionists blinders off

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Try craigslist for your local area.

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wow! who would've guessed how political this could get?!

I didn't take any real economics courses in school so I don't recall if the term "demand" includes the willingness and ability of the consumer to pay for the service/product in question.

There is still a growing demand for nursing services but shrinking monies to pay for them. I doubt I could afford quality, skilled nursing care if I had to pay for it out-of-pocket.

An additional dilemma is that not all nurses have the skills required for certain positions. And who really wants to pay for someone else's professional training? Even if someone is willing to work for free while learning, it does take resources to supervise and train them.

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What's a "unionists blinders?"

Obama became president about 20 months ago. All those multitudes of future nurses are probably still working on their pre-reqs.

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Did you make the right choice?

The desperation out there at the moment is palpable. However, for those who are finding the current job market difficult, take heart in two facts. (1) The current Nursing Glut is not sustainable, (2) Anyone who is a licensed and able-bodied Nurse (New Grads also) is to use an investment term,.. "Well Positioned."

Seventy-six million American's were born between 1946 and 1964 (The Baby Boom Generation) Take a look at this chart. The earliest of this group is now 64 years old with the youngest being 46. This group is purchasing 77% of all prescription drugs, so they are already accessing the health-care system. At the risk of sounding like a vulture waiting on the fence, the acute care boom, is literally at the doorstep. What you are seeing now, is a cyclical economic "down-tick" in the industry, that will shortly explode.

Now here's the thing if I were a new grad. As of 2008 RN's number about 2.6 million, 60% of which are employed by hospitals, many of which are staffed with older RN's like myself with a number of years of experience, who will suddenly retire in droves, but not quite yet. So the BIG short term growth, will be in outpatient services and home care. Take a look at this government data.

So what I am saying is this,...

Be flexible in measuring your desires against unplanned opportunities that may present themselves. If you are in a geographically unfavorable location, you are faced with a choice of either re-locating or waiting it out.

Best of Luck!

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