What is the job market like for Nursing right now?

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Just curious since 'studies' and statistics usually only express what the people behind them want to express, what is the job market like right now? New grads: Are you finding work easily? Employers: are you having a lot of vacancies to fill? Is it a catch 22, lots of work if you have experience but no chance to get experience unless you have a job?

Well it's a good thing I'm not going into this profession for the job security. Jobs are tough but honestly, it would cost me more money to get a degree in something else which I'd probably have to go to school another three or four years for when I've already been in school for three. I'm just going to hope for the best because some people do get lucky, I do have a connection so maybe that will be my saving grace if anything. I've still got 2 years before I come face to face with that problem.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.
That's not a fact.

By 2012 the average age is projected to be 44 and nurses in their 50's represent less than 25% of the workforce (AACN - Media - Nursing Shortage Fact Sheet).

I believe that many of those nurses will be working much longer than anybody ever expected. At the same time that they are not leaving the work force, the pipeline of people entering the field is expanding.

Nope, I don't think the "shortage" will ever materialize. Sadly, quite the opposite, methinks.

I am just quoting a nurse friend who wrote a paper on the subject, so it looks like she has different information. In addition, it would appear that a good number of nurses working today are people who, for whatever reason, went back into the field when their spouses lost their jobs in the downturn. These were nurses who were willing at one time to vacate the profession and now they're back. One wonders how resilient they really are, and what they will do when they see signs of recovery.

At any rate, how many of these nurses have or are working toward professional degrees? It may be that I am hoping against hope but I am just naive enough to believe that an excellent academic record and such a degree, combined with the expansion of healthcare coverage in the new plan will create a niche for at least some new grads.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

There are 8 major hospital systems in Detroit and I check their job pages every day (literally...every day). I see DOZENS of postings for RN jobs.

Now, it is true that not a lot of them are for nursing grads but some of them are.

In addition there are externships and nearly every CNA/PCT/Nurse's Aide job advertised carries the requirement exception/preference for applicants currently enrolled in an accredited Nursing program, even in lieu of accreditation as a CNA or PCT or Nurse's Aide. These are provisional positions, the clear expectation being contract upon graduation.

So it would appear that the thing to do is to get a job BEFORE you graduate rather than relying on getting one afterward.

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So it was mentioned that Mississippi is turning out lots of ADN's - what about the rest of the southeast? Georgia/SC/NC/TN?

Also, I know people often say ADN and BSN's are paid the same, give or take a few dollars, but does the degree affect the potential for landing a job at all?

What about if you just go straight for your masters in a direct entry MSN or ABSN/MSN combo... what's the outlook like for those new grads?

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So it was mentioned that Mississippi is turning out lots of ADN's - what about the rest of the southeast? Georgia/SC/NC/TN?

Also, I know people often say ADN and BSN's are paid the same, give or take a few dollars, but does the degree affect the potential for landing a job at all?

What about if you just go straight for your masters in a direct entry MSN or ABSN/MSN combo... what's the outlook like for those new grads?

Well here in NYC, there's only about a $1500 difference in pay between ADN and BSN Nurses, however BSN is the "preferred" degree among a lot of hospitals and some externships are now requiring that you be enrolled in a BSN program so it seems different all over.

I'm not sure about someone going into a direct master's, I've seen some postings for NP's but some of them require experience and I think not having any nursing experience period might work against you if you're pitted against someone who may have worked for a couple years, especially in that field.

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Well here in NYC, there's only about a $1500 difference in pay between ADN and BSN Nurses, however BSN is the "preferred" degree among a lot of hospitals and some externships are now requiring that you be enrolled in a BSN program so it seems different all over.

I'm not sure about someone going into a direct master's, I've seen some postings for NP's but some of them require experience and I think not having any nursing experience period might work against you if you're pitted against someone who may have worked for a couple years, especially in that field.

Ya, that seems to be what I've heard about no experience/direct entry MSN grads - that you need to be prepared to just work as like a hospital RN for a few years. And kind of justifiably I think.

As far as ADN vs. BSN I definitely agree with what you posted, but have also been reading these angry pro ADN forums haha

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