What nursing shortage?

Nurses General Nursing

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As a new grad looking for positions in both CA and MA I am finding that

new grad nursing positions are VERY hard to come by. Some of my classmates

have gone to interviews were the employer is interviewing 70 people for two positions. I went to a career fair a few weeks ago with people lined out the

door for 6 positions. All of my classmates are asking "what nursing shortage?"

I have to say that I feel mislead by my school and the media into thinking that

there were so many nursing jobs out there. Is anyone else experiencing this?

What part of the country are you living in? At this point I am having to expand my career search to hundreds of miles from home just to find a position as new grad.

Philadelphia and surrounding counties are desperate-my hospital just placed 6 new grads in the ER.

that might have changed. i dont know many who went into ER. I know a few in ICU and many went into OR. Though the situation in philly is different because as you know, around here, there are 20-30 nursing school in just the philly suburbs (4 counties). Many of them great, like U of P, , Temple, Villanova. So many schools at 50-100 students each, we are talking floods of applications and many people. Its a bit harder to get an interview at some of the top hospitals in the area like CHOP or HUP. However many of of those hospitals i heard do hire in the range of 200 people a yr. If you go to the surrounding counties like u said, its difficult too as many hire from within first, limited spots, and few openings. Where im at, u have to have worked there during school. No outside applicants. Guess thats why everyone there has been there forever. Pay is actually better if u work in the suburbs, no city wage tax of like 6%, no travel headache of a gazillion people trying to drive into the city on a 2 lane highway, and less acuity. All the counties are within 40 minutes of the city and there are some very nice areas as well at affordable prices. 2 hour drive to d.c. or nyc. Trains in all 4 counties. Definitely recommend the area for anyone. Also if u work in the city, live in the suburbs work in the city, if thats where u wanna work. Commutes worth the schooling for your kids.

Relocating is out. My kids are in one of the best school districts, my husband is at a career high, and l love my neighborhood. I just don't understand this shortage issue. My background is OR and my corporate level of responsibilty was national director in biologics...what can I do to make a better impression? My husband said I should go down to each hospital and bug them constantly. Is that what you guys are doing? Face to face first or online applications? Any suggestions are appreciated...I am open to working varied shifts but it has to be in ICU or CCU. CRNA school this is must. Basically the last 10 years as a RN doesn't count for much unless you've been in one of the two specialities. Thanks in advance and I am very lucky we have this website to vent and get some answers.

when I graduated nsg school, I applied to a major health system in N. CO. You see advertisements for them everywhere-for RN's. The nursing recruiter outright and abruptly told me they were not considering 'new grads.' They do give out a certain number of 'contracts' to nsg students, most who work for them as CNA's, ect. in which they reimburse them for tuition in exchange for a 2 year employment agreement.

I just thought it was ironic. What good does it do to put more students thru the nursing programs if they can't get hired by the hospitals and how are they supposed to obtain the needed experience?

This is exactly how I feel. Our program was a short intensive 2nd bachelor's

program which allowed no time for outside employment at a Hospital to gain experience. Now we are all graduating with no experience and being told

that congratulations you have a bsn but still we wont hire you.

My opinion is that there is no nursing shortage. There is a shortage of staff on any given shift, in any given medical facility, but that is not because there aren't any nurses looking for jobs, it is because the fewer people they staff, the fewer people they have to pay. I am a relatively new nurse. Graduated in 2003. I have been made shift supervisor at my last two jobs, despite the fact that I am a "new" nurse. Still, right now I can't find a job. I kind of starts to make me feel like someone is blackballing me, but I don't know. All I know is that I can't even get a call back for an interview. This is in the Kansas City area.

My opinion is that there is no nursing shortage. There is a shortage of staff on any given shift, in any given medical facility, but that is not because there aren't any nurses looking for jobs, it is because the fewer people they staff, the fewer people they have to pay. I am a relatively new nurse. Graduated in 2003. I have been made shift supervisor at my last two jobs, despite the fact that I am a "new" nurse. Still, right now I can't find a job. I kind of starts to make me feel like someone is blackballing me, but I don't know. All I know is that I can't even get a call back for an interview. This is in the Kansas City area.

They arent organized well enough to blackball you. Were you a shift supervisor for nursing or in a prior career?

What an interesting post to read right before I start the ADN program. With both my wife and I going through the program, and assuming we do well, do you vets out there think we'll be OK finding a position? We look forward to traveling/relocating, have no kids, and will follow the opportunities and $.

My advice to you is to start working as a nursing assistant as soon as possible

to build your resume. Try to do nurse externships, paid nursing student gigs, during the summer when you dont have class. Contact hospitals where you want to work nine months before you graduate to see about positions. This is at least what people are doing here in the Bay area. Congrats on choosing nursing! You have chosen wisely...... I am a new grad and although the market in my area is competative I still have no

regrets about nursing. Its the best decision I ever made.

twenty dollars an hour to $22/hr is an lpn salary in the city of new york.

that may be true, but i could probably buy a nice 4 bedroom house in the suburbs for what you guys pay to rent a studio apt. in nyc.

Specializes in Nurses who are mentally sicked.
that may be true, but i could probably buy a nice 4 bedroom house in the suburbs for what you guys pay to rent a studio apt. in nyc.

it does not have to be in the nyc.

you can live in brooklyn, queens, bronx.

one bedroom is only $750 in some places.

in new york city, my girlfriend pays $2200 for a studio...i won't even think about it.

anyhow, in general, it is more expensive to live in the city.

Specializes in Hospice, Med Surg, Long Term.

5-17-2007

It definitely depends on where you are, and how many programs are puting out how many grads.

I'm in Yuma, AZ. Our local hospital is working diligently trying to get Philipino RN's get their necessary documents to work here because there aren't enough american nurses. They have decent benefits and wages. I've been here for 3 years.

a21chdchic in AZ

Specializes in LTC, Psych, M/S.
What an interesting post to read right before I start the ADN program. With both my wife and I going through the program, and assuming we do well, do you vets out there think we'll be OK finding a position? We look forward to traveling/relocating, have no kids, and will follow the opportunities and $.

This is pretty much what you need to do to be able to do as a new grad to be able to get the best experiences....I wish I could - doesn't exactly jive with having babies. Since I've been a RN, I've just taken what job I could get that gave me a 'family friendly' schedule....LTC and psych.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Tele, DOU.

Interesting topic.

According to the workforce magazine - which is for human resource personnel - there is a nursing shortage. They, human resource personnel, have also already found the solution and are actively encouraging employees who are laid off to pursue nursing degrees. The desired outcome would be to reduce longterm burden on states from unemployment.

Now, regarding the OP.

Is there a nursing shortage? Perhaps so. I think alot will depend on the studies conducted here in california regarding how our ratio laws have influenced patient care. In my OPINION.

Yes, you may need to relocate.

Yes, more nurses are needed in So. California. The cost of housing seems to be cheaper than compared to the Bay area.

Our hospital is very nice; and no we don't eat our young. As a matter of fact our hospital offers a very comprehensive new grad orientation which includes class time.

Now for the kicker, are we hiring new grads? Probably not from outside. We do typically prefer our own or those who attend the program that our local area hospitals sponsor.

With regard to the individual wanting icu experience. Perhaps patience is all that is needed until that position opens. Perhaps another option would be to accept a medical surgical position until you can transfer into the icu. There are lessons to be learned in med-surg that will still transfer to the icu, and perhaps the money in your pocket will help with the frustration of not getting your first choice.

I wish everyone well in their pursuit.

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