We all have been hearing about the so called dreaded nursing shortage for the past 20 plus years. We are currently at a point where new graduates including myself cannot find employment. Yet with the economy and job losses, people are still being directed to go pursue careers in nursing. This is going to make an already clogged nursing education system even worse. The pool for unemployed nurse graduates is growing every month. If this trend continues I do not see a quick turn around with regard future employment.
Prior to this most recent recession many RN's worked only part time, but now that their spouses have lost their jobs they have had to seek out full time employment. We are not only competing with other new grads but with other experienced nurses.
Can we finally possibly stop this generalization of a "NURSING SHORTAGE" Lets point people to careers in other areas of medical care and stop the insanity.
I am currently working on a list of links to emails and comment pages to anybody and everybody I can think of to send "my story" to. If anybody wants to email "their story" I'll be happy to provide my list. If anybody has any ideas/links of who I should add, feel free to let me know too.
I am currently working on a list of links to emails and comment pages to anybody and everybody I can think of to send "my story" to. If anybody wants to email "their story" I'll be happy to provide my list. If anybody has any ideas/links of who I should add, feel free to let me know too.
Oh get over yourselves! Just because it is hard to find a job you think people shouldn't go to school. If you're having trouble getting a job get your ACLS, do some internships and make it work. It is just ridiculous to hear complaining that more people are getting trained to do a job. The fact is the more educated people we have in the country the better, and the more nurses there are out there the higher the standards will be. Personally I prefer high standards when it comes to health care. I suppose you feel dooped because you were told you would have a job lined up even before you graduate, well the economy sucks. This is not a nursing thing, its a nationwide thing. IMHO there can never be too many nurses.
I did an internship, graduated first in my class with a 4.00, got EKG certified (couldnt afford ACLS), and got only one job offer after sending out 100's of resumes. It's mean spirited to assume that if the OP isnt hired she/he must not have tried hard enough. The competition in some places is getting so fierce that even the best of the best arent hired.
I agree that they need to stop with the nursing shpeal so people who actually want to be nurses can have a chance to get through school instead of being bombarded by the newly unemployed looking for a recession proof job.
When I started doing pre-req's there was a big shortage. Now that I'm finally in nursing school there is not a shortage and I do know people who are smart (speak Spanish even- which in our area is a plus) and can't find jobs. I hope it gets better by the time I graduate. I'm being sponsored by a hospital and have a contract to work for them, but in the last group they were not able to place everyone. They have just announced that the group after ours is the last one they will be sponsoring because of placement difficulties.
As a nurse with 10 years specialty training (Trauma, ICU, L&D) I can say they are posting jobs but not filling them. Some hospitals I think want to appear to need people. I just got a LTC offer today for the same amount of money I made in 1996 in the same position lol that is sad, really sad.
A few years back in discussing the "nursing shortage" some stated that it wasn't a shortage of nurses, but a shortage of nurses willing to work in the conditions being offered at the rates offered.
I think we are now seeing this bourne out as many are forced by the economic climate to accept conditions and payrates they would have found unacceptable even a few years ago.
I've seen this cycle before (though not quite to this extreme) and am confident that eventually the pendulum will swing back, though I really feel for the new grads and those who cannot relocate while trying to last it out!
We are talking salaries that where around in 1996. Oh my gosh a gallon of milk, a tank of gas is way up in comparison. Become an engineer like my brother did. He rakes in the money and we graduated only 18 months apart and started at the same salary. Peoples lives and risk of infection to self are not the same. It is insane.
Oh get over yourselves! Just because it is hard to find a job you think people shouldn't go to school. If you're having trouble getting a job get your ACLS, do some internships and make it work. It is just ridiculous to hear complaining that more people are getting trained to do a job. The fact is the more educated people we have in the country the better, and the more nurses there are out there the higher the standards will be. Personally I prefer high standards when it comes to health care. I suppose you feel dooped because you were told you would have a job lined up even before you graduate, well the economy sucks. This is not a nursing thing, its a nationwide thing. IMHO there can never be too many nurses.
Let her vent- it may be her own way of letting off steam. Being unemployed sucks.
To the OP, I KNOW you will find employment real soon.
I always try to look at the very bright side of things.... which is 1) in a couple years when i do become a full time RN, the abundance of nurses in this field will eliminate of under-staff issues. meaning, hopefully I won't ever have to work with unsafe patient load. All these other new grads entering can be my potential future co-workers. The more the merrier.. since the older RNs will be retiring soon. I'd actually be worried if there is a huge abundance of RN jobs..Hopefully this "excess" of RNs will help eliminate understaffing issue as a whole in the future.
True, standards of care will rise. I believe those who has the heart for nursing will wait it out.. no matter how rough it gets with the job situation, those with the heart set on nursing will stay.
As a nurse with 10 years specialty training (Trauma, ICU, L&D) I can say they are posting jobs but not filling them. Some hospitals I think want to appear to need people. I just got a LTC offer today for the same amount of money I made in 1996 in the same position lol that is sad, really sad.
~Willow
I know exactly what you mean. I just got hired at a LTC facility making $25/h for a weekender position(this includes shift dif, w/e dif). At the hospital I use to work for I would be getting $13 more an hour to do the same job and the same shift no matter what area I work in as an RN. I prayed for a job, finally got a job, and Im glad to have one. But what a lot of people dont understand is that nurses are taking jobs out of necessity but they are not getting everything that they may need. This position does not offer ANY benefits. I need the check to keep the wolves at bay but I am definitely still looking because I definitely need health insurance. And at this low wage and part time job, i cant afford to pay for private insurance. I think a lot of these facilities know that the ball is in thier court and they are gonna continue to offer low wages and no bennies because they know we need the job. This will only get worse when all the new grads hit the market. The ball will still be in the employers court and they know you will do what you have to in order to feed yourself and your family. Its pretty sad.
I am currently working on a list of links to emails and comment pages to anybody and everybody I can think of to send "my story" to. If anybody wants to email "their story" I'll be happy to provide my list. If anybody has any ideas/links of who I should add, feel free to let me know too.
I hope it gets better by the time I graduate. I'm being sponsored by a hospital and have a contract to work for them, but in the last group they were not able to place everyone. They have just announced that the group after ours is the last one they will be sponsoring because of placement difficulties.
elprup, BSN, RN
1,005 Posts
I am currently working on a list of links to emails and comment pages to anybody and everybody I can think of to send "my story" to. If anybody wants to email "their story" I'll be happy to provide my list. If anybody has any ideas/links of who I should add, feel free to let me know too.