Perhaps this should be moved to the nursing career advice section, but I was browsing and found this written by an ex nurse. I take most of it as bitterness and griping, but the part about NO JOBS without a year of experience bothers me beyond words considering I am going for my adn in f05. Thoughts, please!?????
Luckily, I've put this career mistake/ nightmare behind me.
My career mistake was choosing to become a nurse. I was lied to from the beginning. I was falsely made to believe that there was a plethora of jobs waiting for me after graduating nursing school. On the contrary, every job I found wanted nurses with at least a year of experience.
A year after graduating, I found one agency that sent me out to work in various nursing homes. That was a nightmare in itself!! I wouldn't send my dog to a nursing home let alone a human being! I quit that job fast enough but I left very frustrated and angry.
A year after that, I managed to land a hospital job on a fluke. There are no words to express how absolutely horrible and unbearable I found that job to be. I hated it beyond the meaning of the word.
The worst part of it all was that they were in the middle of downsizing and the nurses were being given the additional work of taking over the duties of others. Many times I would find myself so busy that I would leave work two sometimes three hours after my shift ended, doing what else but paperwork. This was overtime I was never paid for.
I wouldn't recommend nursing to anyone. It's a thankless job with long hours, is seriously short-staffed, and the workload is astronomical. Many nurses who worked at that hospital often complained of back pain, various health problems, and psychological stress. I didn't want to end up like them so I got out quick.
Needless to say, my mother wasn't overly happy about that. She can no longer brag to her friends and relatives about my being in the medical professsion. You couldn't pay me to go back to that occupation. It was so hard to find work and what I found left me feeling so unhappy. Whenever I would finish my shift for the day, I would just sit at home and cry for hours. I got so depressed. Whenever I knew I had to go to work, I felt so miserable. Whenever I arrived at work, I felt like this lead weight was sitting on my back, I found it hard to breathe, and I had to fight to keep down the panic. When I took that job I was only in my twenties. After only a few weeks into that job, I started feeling like an old woman. I started having back pains and feeling just so unwell practically everyday. I was so aghausted all of the time. I've never in my life had a job that left me feeling so awful and I hope I never will again. I repeat, I wouldn't recommend the nursing field for anyone. I made a bad career choice, I just hope that anyone reading this won't make the same mistake I did.
I am not sure what you are implying here, if anything, but I don't want anyone to "hand" me anything. However, I cannot pack up and leave. It is not an option. My husband has lucked into a very good job and we would be crazy to leave, now or ever (as long as he is employed there). Also, considering my educational history, I have wasted alot of time and money getting a masters degree that basically was worthless (for a variety of reasons, some being ME). Even though I do want to be a nurse, I feel somewhat of a calling for it and I LOVE helping others, I do not want to spend another 3 years in school if there aren't going to be any jobs *AVAILABLE* in the area. I guess it wouldn't make sense, know what I mean ?
Re: finding a job, do you work in healthcare, now? Could you? Going to school is the most important step toward getting a job as an RN, but getting a foot in the door as an aide or other support employee can be helpful. That is, if you can balance being a good employee with being a good student--which ain't easy. But if you have to work, anyway...
Hi Mike, I am working on becoming a CNA. This will prob take a while though as many programs are full at the moment (I have been researching and calling)
I'd also like to work in LTC and I hear the jobs are plentiful there too.
True. But, to be honest, LTC is probably one of toughest places to work. In California, two-thirds of staff quit in 2002. That's how high the turnover is. However, LTC is only eight to ten percent of the nursing jobs out there. Lots of other options. And, there's probably some decent LTC facilities if you look for them, particularly if they're non-profit.
As far as new grads having difficulty I guess, once again, it depends on the area. All the hospitals in my area put new grads through three month orientations for training. I guess they have to since so many nurses commute out of the area for higher pay. I've never heard of a new grad having trouble finding work. Never. Every senior at my school has jobs locked up before they graduate.
But then I live in California where they've adopted a nurse ratio law which probably doubled the shortage of nurses. If anyone moved out here, believe me, they wouldn't have any trouble finding a job. Keep in mind that because of the ratio law, CNAs and LVNs have had more trouble finding work, but if we're talking about RNs, no problem.
People really have to consider why they took up nursing in the first place... If it is just because of the money to be made or just because it is a field that you'll always have a job--anywhere... then think twice...because it will definitely make you unhappy. Nursing is pretty much a sacrifice of one's self. You are actually giving not receiving.
Can't say there aren't any jobs out there or employers are only hiring nurses with 1 year experience or more...They're just not looking hard enough. There are employers who hire new grads/no hospital experience nurses!!! That's why they have preceptorship programs!
If you went into nursing for the wrong reasons...think again...
This person seems clinically depressed to me. Nursing was a second career for me - I was in the military and public relations for 15 years before I became a nurse. As with any and all jobs you have good days and bad days. However, I have always been able to find work and be reasonably happy about it. One must always consider the glass half full rather than half empty! Life is way too short to go through it unhappy.
The only thing I can attest to is that employers actually STALK our seniors in the spring! :chuckle We also have job fairs, with all three floors of the school lined with tables of potential employers who jump even on SOPHOMORES! When we go to start clinical rotations each semester, someone from personell stops by to suck up, giving us doughnuts and coffee along with their card and an employment pitch! :chuckle
Looking through the paper at want-ads, you don't find much, sure. But remember, most good jobs are not listed in the want ads. Talk to some nurses and grads in your area to see what it was like for them. Don't go by what you see advertised, or some negative letter someone wrote. If you love nursing, and put the work in it takes to be a good nurse, your job will be waiting for you when you are done! I have faith!
P.S. Forgot to mention.....go check out the web-sites of some hospitals in your area. Around here you can go to sections that are entirely devoted to new-grad recruiting and training. Maybe if you find some of those it will make you feel better!
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Tex it is about one thing to me : ATTITUDE!
I implied nothing in my reply to you---- I thought I was fairly clear, but maybe not. I am only speaking for myself here, please understand but let me clarify please:
I only stated I make my own fortune whenever possible Sure at times, life kicks you in the butt. I have been handed a LOT of raw deals in life, from an abusive childhood to a marriage where I endured beatings and abuse to where I am now, years later as a military veteran (tough times in themselves) and military wife. It's been a rocky road in my life. I guess I am sick of seeing whining and not hearing a lot about what can be done to improve our lots. There are folks much worse off who came further than I ever will. I admire THEM, not the writer of this article, who leaves little hope for anything turning out well. Too bad for that person.
I guess I leaned griping gets me nowhere. I had dreams for a long time I was unwilling to do anything to fulfill, like I waiting for a "white knight" to rescue me and make my life better. I learned, I had to work to make dreams come true. It's not a passive process. And it is true, I would not live in a dead- end no where place where I could not find work. I like eating and having a roof over my head way too much. But hey, that is just me. I have made a lot of moves as a military lifer and maybe I take it lightly, I dunno. But.....
In case you did not know: There are employers our there paying all moving expenses PLUS multi-thousand dollar sign-on bonuses for you to work for them as an RN. How do I know? I work with several gals who moved cross-country to do just that! So yes, you CAN move "at the drop of a hat" if your need for work is great enough.
I am not looking for an argument or anything. Tell you what, when you get into nursing, YOU decide what about this article applies to you. I hope you are pleasantly surprised at how good things can be when you are the "Captain of your Ship". Read the archives in the NURSE ENTEPRENEUR area here at allnurses if you want some REAL inspiration to offset the gloom and doom of this article. I think that may be the antidote. Of course, I am only giving you my opinion, which by the way you solicited. Best wishes to you in whatever the future holds.
Be not discouraged, EVERY job has its good and no so good points. Every job I've worked (and there have been many) I've disliked at some point - it's nothing new or unique to nursing. On the contrary - take it from someone who's been around - I have found from managing people for many years that there is always someone who is going to HATE something that hordes of other people love. It's human nature. When we read negative hateful stories we have to consider the age; level of maturity; and a host of other factors of the writer that would lead them to write such venomous stuff. Some people are just negative by their very nature and can't think of anything good about anything. They're known as complainers and they are everywhere. My guess is until that person finds a job where all they have to do is sit on their butt while making big bucks they won't be happy: and possibly not even then. But, having said all of that, nursing is not for everyone just like being a lawyer, heavy equipment operator, cowboy, fast food worker, or any other profession is not for everyone. There is no "one job fits all" out there.
As a matter of reference, I worked as a college teacher (business) and newspaper reporter (business, entertainment, politics) at the same time for about 11 years and loved both jobs. However, there were times when I wondered what the *ell I was doing as some of it was pure torture. I hated writing and researching breaking news under oppressive deadlines: I hated trying to explain to a student why they were failing when they show up the last day of class for the first time and wonder why they can't make up a semester-worth of work. But, there were plenty of other aspects of the jobs that were quite wonderful like hanging with Van Halen or interviewing presidential candidates or seeing students come from difficult backgrounds to graduate from college and make a successful life for themselves. In other words, it doesn't matter how great a profession is there will ALWAYS be complainers and people who will no doubt complain about their own funeral. Am I saying that nursing is flawless? Not at all - it only means that if you're in it for the wrong reasons you will be bitter and probably fail - such is the case in every field. It's what you make it.
btw - I think nurses are the greatest - it's a good and noble profession. Like the man said; "It sure beats raising cattle!"
There are folks much worse off who came further than I ever will. I admire THEM, not the writer of this article, who leaves little hope for anything turning out well. Too bad for that person.
I guess I leaned griping gets me nowhere. I had dreams for a long time I was unwilling to do anything to fulfill, like I waiting for a "white knight" to rescue me and make my life better. I learned, I had to work to make dreams come true. It's not a passive process. And it is true, I would not live in a dead- end no where place where I could not find work. I like eating and having a roof over my head way too much. But hey, that is just me. I have made a lot of moves as a military lifer and maybe I take it lightly, I dunno. But.....
In case you did not know: There are employers our there paying all moving expenses PLUS multi-thousand dollar sign-on bonuses for you to work for them as an RN. How do I know? I work with several gals who moved cross-country to do just that! So yes, you CAN move "at the drop of a hat" if your need for work is great enough.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
You know, maybe the problem is the PERSON, not the job...from the tone of the writing, maybe it's her attitude, not her skills, that keeps her unemployed.
I know if the job I have today goes away (and it might, it's research and grant supported), I can find a job within a week, if not sooner. Of course, your area may be different...but I doubt it. :)
I read the article and got the exact same impression that you did. I think it's the PERSON, not the job. Which isn't to say that there aren't horrible jobs out there. There are. But this person seems to have an attitude that gets in his/her way.
I'm in my late 40s, Hubby is early 50s. We're both nurses. We quit our jobs, sold our house and moved 3000 miles without even applying for a job at our destination. We were driving cross country talking to travel recruiters on our cellphones and landed a travel assignment that got us both an income and a place to live immediately upon arriving at our destination. And now we're settled in a beautiful new home with interesting new jobs -- and a month off in between only because we decided we WANTED a month off. What other profession gives you that kind of freedom and flexibility?
The only thing I can attest to is that employers actually STALK our seniors in the spring! :chuckle We also have job fairs, with all three floors of the school lined with tables of potential employers who jump even on SOPHOMORES! When we go to start clinical rotations each semester, someone from personell stops by to suck up, giving us doughnuts and coffee along with their card and an employment pitch! :chuckle
Boy, ain't that the truth. Every grad at my school gets two to three job offers, minimum. Where, exactly, are these areas where people can't find nursing jobs? I'd really like to know. Are we talking about extremely rural areas with very little population? Because I live in a semi-rural, although fast growing area, and the demand is still unbelievable.
TexasPoodleMix
232 Posts
I am not sure what you are implying here, if anything, but I don't want anyone to "hand" me anything. However, I cannot pack up and leave. It is not an option. My husband has lucked into a very good job and we would be crazy to leave, now or ever (as long as he is employed there). Also, considering my educational history, I have wasted alot of time and money getting a masters degree that basically was worthless (for a variety of reasons, some being ME). Even though I do want to be a nurse, I feel somewhat of a calling for it and I LOVE helping others, I do not want to spend another 3 years in school if there aren't going to be any jobs *AVAILABLE* in the area. I guess it wouldn't make sense, know what I mean ?