Has anyone else noticed drop in jobs?

nola06 · Sep 13, 2012

Yes. I was a travel nurse from 2009 until this february and stoped because there were so few good jobs. everyone thinks travel nurses make so much money, but the pay is horrible

SCRN01 · Sep 14, 2012

Yeah you really have to be careful if your main goal is to make money. I'm sure it can be done if you wheel and deal, take jobs you may not want, partner up with another traveler and split the costs, etc. One thing I've noticed that really hurts is the time between jobs. If you take 1-2 weeks off in between jobs, you're looking at 4-8 weeks a year with no pay. That can add up and really bite you.

ncnursie · Sep 14, 2012

I am so glad someone posted a comment on this topic!! I thought it was just me. I quit my job to start travel nursing only to find out that jobs are so scarce!!! I have been waiting around for a job for like a month and a half!! I hope that is gets better and that the market will pick up! I thought I would be able to have my pick of all kinds of places...boy was I wrong :bluecry1:

HollywoodDiva · Sep 14, 2012

Been traveling since 2002 and it did take a dive in 2008 but picked right back up in 2009 for those of us in OR. Even during that time we just extended at the hospitals we currently were at. Depending on your specialty too would determine how scarce jobs are for you and how much money you would actually make.

WinterWolf90 · Sep 15, 2012

I have been traveling a year and even I can tell the jobs have kind of gone down. I am now starting to sign up with more companies to try and get more selections, but the company I was with that had tons of jobs a year ago now only seems to have them in a handful of states.

HollywoodDiva · Sep 15, 2012

Just wanted to know what your specialties are because it has picked up like crazy for the OR in the last month but then again OR is always open.

NedRN · Sep 15, 2012

Total open assignments have gone way up this year. However some specialties like medsurg have actually declined. And they will probably continue to decline as they have for the last 20 years. OR, L&D, and cath lab have all been fine during the downturn. ER, ICU and PACU OK. Even tele is now practically a must have to even get a crack at medsurg travel. Medsurg nurses really need to advance their critical care skills for the sake of their careers in my opinion. It will never be the majority of hospital jobs again.

WinterWolf90 · Sep 15, 2012

I have Med Surg/Tele and ER, but have only worked in the ER for travel jobs.

Sage1111 · Sep 15, 2012

Most travel nurses I know, including myself, are working now to have the holidays off. Many more positions should be available in December?? Time will tell I guess.

BluntForceTrauma · Sep 17, 2012

I thought the jobs slacked at the end of the year due to budgets, and then picked back up at the beginning of the year. The jobs are there....but the pay and benefits aren't always worth it!

Sage1111 · Oct 6, 2012

Jobs increase in the OR October through the end of the year. Patients have their yearly deductible paid and all of the elective surgeries increase ALOT! Sorry, I admit that comment was slanted to OR jobs. I realize that may not pertain to other areas of nursing.