Should I be able to find a nursing job in Michigan?

RN1982 · Jun 11, 2008

I work at Henry Ford Hospital. It's beautiful. The parking is kind of a pain but its not all bad. Benefits are top notch and cheap. They offer a 403b plus a retirement plan, I have both. The retirement plan is matched by HFH. If you want to go back to school, tuition reimbursement is 3000 bucks for full time employees. I recommend doing an externship. I don't know what area you want to work in, I work SICU and love it. I wasn't a new grad when I started, I had two years under me. But here in SICU, they have externs that get hired out of school but you have to be an extern in the SICU. They won't hire new grads otherwise. MICU and CICU hire new grads. A lot of people I talk to love the ER here too. Let me say that some people are automatically gonna say how bad HFH is because of the patient population. It is quite the opposite. There is a good mix of everything. Yeah, we get crackheads and all that stuff but you will get that at any hospital.

It doesn't matter where you start, new grads are pretty much gonna start off the same any where you go.

RDH1, ADN, BSN, RN · Jun 17, 2008

Thanks Michigan RN! Do you have any idea about what the job market for nursing is like in general? I am reading several posts on here about RNs right out of school that can't find a job. (They aren't all from MI though). I would hate to be in the same position I am in as a hygienist who can't find work!

If you have any more info, that would be great. Thanks again for the reply.

RN1982 · Jun 18, 2008

You won't have a hard time finding a job as an RN. There's plenty out there.

NoviceRN10 · Jun 19, 2008

Thanks Michigan RN! Do you have any idea about what the job market for nursing is like in general? I am reading several posts on here about RNs right out of school that can't find a job. (They aren't all from MI though). I would hate to be in the same position I am in as a hygienist who can't find work!
If you have any more info, that would be great. Thanks again for the reply.

There are tons of nursing jobs every time I look at the various metro Detroit hospital's job listings.

Turtle in scrubs · Jun 19, 2008

I agree that it will not be hard to find a job. The ADN vs RN will make no difference as an entry level nurse - at least that is the case for hospital nursing.

All the hospitals I looked into offered pretty nice benefit packages for part time and full time employees. When you get to the point of job hunting you will want to compare what each hospital has to offer, but it is safe to expect that you will be provided with health benefits, paid time off and retirement plan.

Be aware that some jobs are harder to get as a new grad, depending on the hopsital and specific unit (day shift, ICU, etc.)

I too returned to school for nursing and did a fair amount of research to make sure it was truly a career in demand before investing my time and money. I was ponding the pavement this time last year and had no trouble finding jobs. While the economy is poor and this may affect work conditions and benefits (as with many professions), I only see the damand for nursing jobs increasing from this point.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

RDH1, ADN, BSN, RN · Jun 30, 2008

Thanks everyone for the great replies!

I have one more question: Does this "low census" thing happen a lot in the Michigan hospitals? I've been reading about it on this board. From my understanding, this means that there are not enough patients for all the nurses to come in? Is this correct? Is this common occurence? I wouldn't think so since Metro Detroit is a big area, and even though the economy is bad, people can't help getting sick or injured.

Does your pay get docked if the unit is not full with patients? How does this work? What would be the best unit for me to work on to avoid a low census?

Seems a lot like dental hygiene. The office manager will tell me not to bother coming in until 1pm on such and such day, because my whole morning (9am-1) fell apart. Yep, that means a half day off, without pay. Really starts to add up, and it sucks! With gas at $4 plus/gallon, I hate driving to work to only work four hours.

I want a job where my hours will be pretty much guaranteed!

Thanks everyone!

RDH1

RN1982 · Jul 1, 2008

If the unit is low census, nurses get cancelled or asked not to come in based on senority. On my unit, SICU, it does not happen very often. We are always busy. Do not expect when you graduate to get straight days, every third weekend off, certain holidays off, most units rotate the holidays. On my unit, you can only be straight days by senority, attendance and participation within the unit. Some ICUs will hire new grads, some will not.

I wouldn't worry about low census. I work at two major hospitals. There is hardly any low census. You pay does not get docked. Usually they will pay you for your shift by using your PTO.

RDH1, ADN, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2008

Thanks Michigan RN. Not to sound stupid, but what do you mean by straight days? 3 12 hr shifts in a row? Or do you mean day shift, without having to work midnights?

I just assumed that as a new grad I would get the shaft and be working midnights, every weekend, every holiday. Not too excited about that, but at least I will have hours. That's something that I don't get in dental hygiene. I don't think, though, that I would do very well rotating day shifts and night shifts. That would suck trying to get my body used to that. I would prefer one or the other.

What kind of seniority does it take to get decent shifts? I am more of a night person and may do well on midnights, but I don't think I would like to be on midnights forever. I have been told by a couple nurses though that nights are better for a new grad b/c it's a little slower paced and family visiting hours are over.

Thanks, you have been very helpful and informative! :yeah:

RN1982 · Jul 1, 2008

"thanks michigan rn. not to sound stupid, but what do you mean by straight days? 3 12 hr shifts in a row? or do you mean day shift, without having to work midnights?

straight days= no midnights or rotating from days to nights and vice versa.

i just assumed that as a new grad i would get the shaft and be working midnights, every weekend, every holiday. you will not get the shaft. you will not work every holiday or every weekend. although, at some hospitals if you work one weekend a month you have to pick up on call which is not the best thing in the world

not too excited about that, but at least i will have hours. that's something that i don't get in dental hygiene. i don't think, though, that i would do very well rotating day shifts and night shifts. that would suck trying to get my body used to that. i would prefer one or the other. i rotate days/midnights. i work two months of days and then a month of nights. i just finished working three months of nights and i got a bonus for it. it was only 300 bucks so nothing special.

what kind of seniority does it take to get decent shifts? i am more of a night person and may do well on midnights, but i don't think i would like to be on midnights forever. i have been told by a couple nurses though that nights are better for a new grad b/c it's a little slower paced and family visiting hours are over.

senority goes by how long you have worked on the unit. i would suggest rotating for a while before deciding if you want to work midnights only. there is a lot to learn after school. you will need to know how to organize your workload for both shifts and it will help you function alot better when a problem arises. day shift is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. night shifts are not always slower especially if you have 5-6 patients. as for visiting hours, some hospitals allow 24 hour visitation. good luck.

thanks, you have been very helpful and informative! :yeah:

07302003, ASN, RN · Jul 7, 2008

Just to chime in (from another happy Henry Ford Nurse) -

You will ALWAYS have a job as a nurse. Maybe not the shift you wanted or the department but you can hold out and wait for an opening. It's all about trade offs.

Starting salary is roughly $24/hour + 7% off shift bonus + $2/hour weekend bonus + $300 bonus every 12 weeks for working the off shift.

Shifts (8, 10, 12 hour) vary by unit and manager. Some areas are only 12 hour shifts, others have more flexibility.

At a big hospital, during times of low census, as a med-surg nurse I am floated to other med-surg floors - which is great experience as far as I am concerned. At it's much better than going home without a paycheck. When the chance is offered to go home someone almost always jumps at it, so no one is forced out of hours.

If you want overtime that's often available from the nursing office at your hospital, and after the first year some nurses will take an agency job to pick up money at a second hospital.

Vacation / CTO is 5 weeks per year + two float holidays. 6 paid holidays.

The downside is of course working every other weekend and half the holidays. And odd hours that don't match when any childcare is open and available. And exposure to deadly diseases and bodily injury from lifting, etc.

Some units / specialties prefer BSN's, and you need a BSN for management. But most hospitals will pay for your BSN after the fact, so an ADN is fine to start out with.

But you get a living wage a job security. And it's amazing to be able to help people and their families.

Good luck!

RN1982 · Jul 7, 2008

I love henry ford too. I left the BIG B for Henry Ford in January and haven't thought about going back since then.