The nursing shortage is nonexistent

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Or it seems... i'm a new pn grad and I always told myself that as soon as I graduated I would hop on to an lpn-rn bridge as soon as I could. Looking over some (relatively new) posts about RN's having a hard time time finding a job is scary. You can't trust everything you read, but I have already begun researching alternatives. :confused:

Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
But in the time in between to having the gap and to filling any voids, will the healthcare system be effected negatively in a significant way?

Have you heard about it being negatively affected in the past?

It's all cyclical, and this really isn't anything new. The tide will turn.

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Here's a question though. What happens in 5, 10, 20 years from now when these hospitals have nurses leaving them but don't have newer trained nurses or have a much small pool of experienced nurses to pull from? I mean really, what happens guys??????????????????????

Last time their was talk of a future impending RN shortage was in the late 80's early 90's. The hospitals simply lobbyed congress to inact a major importation of foreign nurses. Sadly for us it's easier for hospitals to get laws changed so that they can once again import hordes of nurses rather than improve conditions for US nurses.

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Specializes in (future hope) Genetic Nursing.
Probably. ... But it will also be effected in some positive ways. That's just the way life is. The environment changes ... health people and organizations adapt successfully to the new realities while others fall by the wayside. The environment continues to change ... healthy people and organizations continue to adapt. etc. etc. etc.

Have you heard about it being negatively affected in the past?

It's all cyclical, and this really isn't anything new. The tide will turn.

Last time their was talk of a future impending RN shortage was in the late 80's early 90's. The hospitals simply lobbyed congress to inact a major importation of foreign nurses. Sadly for us it's easier for hospitals to get laws changed so that they can once again import hordes of nurses rather than improve conditions for US nurses.

Thank you guys. These were answers I was trying to get out of some experienced nurses (past perspectives/experiences) in another thread with lack luster response. I appreciate you answers very much.

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Then it will be a repeat of 5-10 years ago where hospitals again have fully funded new grad programs, and will have $2000 sign-on bonuses for new grads, and every new grad will again have 3-4 job offers to choose from. And then people, seeing this huge demand for new nurses, will flock to nursing school, and capitalistic groups will see the huge demand for nursing school and start churning out nursing degree programs and then the number of new grads will increase by 500% and there will no longer be a nursing shortage, and the vicious cycle will start all over again...

You nailed it!! It's too bad that hospitals don't hire enough nurses to actually take good care of patients. If there was less stress/better working conditions, I have to think that would solve the "shortage," in part at least. Not to mention the quality of care would increase. If there wasn't so much stress and time-demands, medication errors and other mistakes would almost certainly improve. I recently heard a professor (in a chemistry dept.) say that the reason that medication bottles are color-coded for nurses, is the same reason they put a picture of a hamburger on the buttons at burger king. :mad:

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Specializes in ICU/CCU, Med Surg.
Have you heard about it being negatively affected in the past?

It's all cyclical, and this really isn't anything new. The tide will turn.

While the job shortage has happened before, I'm wondering if it's different this time around...we're on the brink of a third Depression here.

I also wonder where that will leave nurses like me in 5-10 yrs: a new grad with no experience who will "age out" of eligibility for new grad internships. I fear that I (and others) have fallen through the cracks...not to mention the potential patients we could care for.

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Specializes in (future hope) Genetic Nursing.
I recently heard a professor (in a chemistry dept.) say that the reason that medication bottles are color-coded for nurses, is the same reason they put a picture of a hamburger on the buttons at burger king. :mad:

:eek:

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
I recently heard a professor (in a chemistry dept.) say that the reason that medication bottles are color-coded for nurses, is the same reason they put a picture of a hamburger on the buttons at burger king. :mad:

He's right. Color coding helps prevent mistakes. All professions use such "cues" to help avoid errors.

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Last time their was talk of a future impending RN shortage was in the late 80's early 90's. The hospitals simply lobbyed congress to inact a major importation of foreign nurses. Sadly for us it's easier for hospitals to get laws changed so that they can once again import hordes of nurses rather than improve conditions for US nurses.

I think this is the most likely scenario. I already worked in one field where a similar thing happened. We are becoming a global economy and that is not going to stop. Just having and education in something is not going to make one stand out. There has to be something about you specifically that makes your company money. Hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living etc etc, all businesses first and foremost.

In nursing I think it is hard to stand out. Even with multiple certifications etc etc since "clients" (customers) don't really understand what you are doing they really only see that you are kind, bring mom's blanket quickly etc etc. That you got the meds right they dont notice, but they do notice if its wrong. And in the end success will be mainly attributed to the doctor that did the surgery, or whatever they did. Its hard to get credit for something as a nurse and additionally I think the profession itself actually propetuates that with the perpetuation of the "you first, me second" attitude (known as codependence in other circles).

For these and other reasons I decided to back burner the RN degree I earned for now and am in another field, a little less money but so much less stress that I could take on 10-20 more hours to bring myself up to a Rn wage, and be happy stress free and have more job security.

I learned a lot about taking car of myself and my family though and that knowledge is priceless. I think the most important lesson I learned was to take good care of myself so I stay out of the hospital! They are too short handed in there!

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