So Many Students! Will Shortage Now End?

Natingale, EdD, RN · Apr 7, 2009

negateev-o

think about all the nurses going into retirement every year (well maybe not in this economy)

then think about all the nursing professors, we have a large demand of students, but not enough professors to teach them. Thats why many schools get thousands of applicants, yet they only have enough seats to fill 10 percent.

thennnnn think about all the students that fail out of the program. only a third actually graduate, it seems like anyway.

on top of that, you need a nurse for everything ..radiology, clinical care, dialysis, peds OB, teaching, camp, just everywhere you look ...plus the baby boom population, theyre all now at that ripe age, and adult homes guess what..need nurses.

i barely scratched the surface, but yeah ...we need more nurses. my place is budgeted for 8 nurses on nights, and there are nights where we work with 3 plus one charge nurse. stinks.

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2009

negateev-o
think about all the nurses going into retirement every year (well maybe not in this economy)
then think about all the nursing professors, we have a large demand of students, but not enough professors to teach them. Thats why many schools get thousands of applicants, yet they only have enough seats to fill 10 percent.
thennnnn think about all the students that fail out of the program. only a third actually graduate, it seems like anyway.
on top of that, you need a nurse for everything ..radiology, clinical care, dialysis, peds OB, teaching, camp, just everywhere you look ...plus the baby boom population, theyre all now at that ripe age, and adult homes guess what..need nurses.
i barely scratched the surface, but yeah ...we need more nurses. my place is budgeted for 8 nurses on nights, and there are nights where we work with 3 plus one charge nurse. stinks.

I was hoping to be tagged more as a realist per se, but that's just my legal training starting to take over and analyze. Don't think the situation is going to stop me from pursuing this amazing career change. I will go forward to be the best nurse I can be.

That begs the question then, if there are so many openings out there why are there so many nurses unable to get jobs? I know experience plays a role in landing some jobs but that also makes me think about the age-old question that is always asked in that situation: Where the heck do I get experience to have the experience you want me to have?

I wish 2 years wasn't so far away, though I know technically they will fly by but right now it seems like a lifetime to go!

Missy202 · Apr 10, 2009

I don't think the shortage will end. There are alot of nurses who are retiring. Also there are alot of burned out nurses who are leaving to go into a different field. Also, even though there are tons of nursing students, nursing school is VERY competitive due to the lack of available schools to fulfll the demand.

RN2BE1210 · Apr 10, 2009

I was hoping to be tagged more as a realist per se, but that's just my legal training starting to take over and analyze. Don't think the situation is going to stop me from pursuing this amazing career change. I will go forward to be the best nurse I can be.
That begs the question then, if there are so many openings out there why are there so many nurses unable to get jobs? I know experience plays a role in landing some jobs but that also makes me think about the age-old question that is always asked in that situation: Where the heck do I get experience to have the experience you want me to have?
I wish 2 years wasn't so far away, though I know technically they will fly by but right now it seems like a lifetime to go!

I was wondering the same thing. This summer I will be doing a nurse extern position where I'll move around different floors/dept of hospitals to gain more experience. I'm hoping that if I do that this summer, and next that it will give me some advantage when I graduate Dec. 2010

sunray12 · Apr 10, 2009

I've been reading posts on here and I just can't help to notice how many nursing students there are out there, some on the verge of graduation, others just now starting their programs and others like me who are lurking on here and beginning their prerequisites. If all goes well and as planned, I should be finished with my accelerated BSN by the beginning of the summer in 2011. Cannot help to wonder if I will be graduating into a market that's overrun with nurses and have trouble getting work. Let alone the concern on here that new grads are having a hard time getting hired ...
One small reason I am leaving the legal profession, there are just too many lawyers out there! In hindsight, I should have steadfastly followed my childhood dream of entering the medical profession, but better late than never!

Nursing cohorts are very small as compared to law cohorts. Many of the nursing programs in my state accept between 15-25 students/year. Your average law school class is ten (or more) times that size. Also because of the way nursing programs are structured many people who begin nursing school don't finish nursing school. Example - 40% of the nursing cohort at my local cc didn't make the cut after the first year (and btw this is one of those schools with a great nclex pass record). So while there's a lot of sound and fury around getting into the nursing school pipeline, nursing graduates are coming out on the other end in trickles.

If you're going by all nurses - I think what you see here are vent threads by graduating/graduate nurses who aren't finding the jobs they want but they will probably tell you that most people in their class have jobs.

nanounne01 · Apr 10, 2009

People will never stop getting sick and thousands of nurses retire a day, so YES there will always be a need

Agrippa · Apr 10, 2009

The growth of those who will be entering into older age and will need nursing care (baby boomers) is so great, that within the next 20 years, I dont think this influx of students will be a problem.

I think we've talked about the legal profession before. i dont think nursing is anywhere near as bad as the legal field. The ABA is STILL allowing more and more third/fourth tier schools to open up in already saturated legal markets.

Music in My Heart · Apr 10, 2009

Cannot help to wonder if I will be graduating into a market that's overrun with nurses and have trouble getting work.

Highly likely, in my opinion... though it depends, to some degree, on where you want to work.

One small reason I am leaving the legal profession, there are just too many lawyers out there! In hindsight, I should have steadfastly followed my childhood dream of entering the medical profession, but better late than never!

You do realize, I hope, that the nursing profession and the medical profession are not one-and-the-same. This was never more clear to me than during the time I spent around medical students and medical residents.

Music in My Heart · Apr 10, 2009

People will never stop getting sick and thousands of nurses retire a day, so YES there will always be a need

Sure, there will always be a need. But will the need meet or exceed the supply? I'm thinking not.

CherryBlonde · Apr 10, 2009

nursing cohorts are very small as compared to law cohorts. many of the nursing programs in my state accept between 15-25 students/year. your average law school class is ten (or more) times that size. also because of the way nursing programs are structured many people who begin nursing school don't finish nursing school. example - 40% of the nursing cohort at my local cc didn't make the cut after the first year (and btw this is one of those schools with a great nclex pass record). so while there's a lot of sound and fury around getting into the nursing school pipeline, nursing graduates are coming out on the other end in trickles.
if you're going by all nurses - i think what you see here are vent threads by graduating/graduate nurses who aren't finding the jobs they want but they will probably tell you that most people in their class have jobs.

vent?jobs they want? what are you reading? ppl have said they put 15-20 applications in around thier area as new grads in all sorts of specialties. everyone's in a different area with a different background of experience, graduating from a dif program i guess.where are you from, i would like to know, it would be interesting to know what areas aren't having a problem and its wonderful to hear that your area isn't having the same problem that has been beaten into the ground on allnurses(i agree w/ that). what number is trickles to you?in my area we have about 2-5 hundred or so grads a year from major universities in our area. if you have the time, would you respond i and im sure others would like to know thanks!:)

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2009

You do realize I hope, that the nursing profession and the medical profession are not one-and-the-same. This was never more clear to me than during the time I spent around medical students and medical residents.[/quote']
Yes, the "medical profession" as I grew up recognizing it as a child included anyone working in a hospital. As an adult I realize that there are distinct differences but I sometimes hold on to the terminology I used as a child when speaking casually, thanks for the reminder to be more careful.