What The Bleep Happened To The Shortage?

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i live in boston, i graduated from a well known school of science with a bs in health sciences and then got my adn . i am more than qualified to work in a great hospital but i still can't find a job where i want to work so i have to ask...what the bleep happened to the shortage???????? :argue: every time someone says "oh, you won't have a problem getting a job as a nurse, there's such a demand" i just wanna kick them in the stomach but instead i say "oh no my friend, there are more nurses in ma than the states knows what to do with". i feel a little betrayed, schools don't tell you that the shortage is over in ma and go get a bsn because thats what hospitals really want and that's if you can get them to look at your resume :down:. does anyone else feel this way or am i just bitter that there is no shortage! :banghead:

Specializes in ICU, PACU, OR.

Gosh October--

What happens when they actually make a reality of the "BSN entry into practice" as all the major nursing organizations have as their mantra?

Just like everything else--money and politics and the good ole bottom line.:cool:

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To October Bride,

I find your story too hard to believe. I have worked in many states and the pay for a ADN and BSN has always been the same. The only way a BSN makes more is if she goes into management. Of course if you have a MSN degree you will get more.

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Specializes in Pediatric Psychiatry, Home Health VNA.

Oakburne, my hospital pays $2.21/hour more for a BSN. They have a majority ADN/diploma nursing population. I can understand why they would want to save money in this time of economic hardship, especially when there are plenty of ADN and diploma nurses willing to work there. It's a nice environment with good support. The hospital tries to save money wherever possible, including eliminating one CNA assignment by absorbing an ADL (and sometimes two!) into each nurse's assignment.

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Specializes in LTC.

I think many new grads come out expecting their dream job with dream hrs right off the bat. When I graduated in 1994 we were told to expect to work nights, weekends, on-call, etc. for about a yearbefore some better opportunities would open up. Maybe with the shortage...and there is in many parts of the country...grads are being led to believe they will just step into their dream job. I think the area there isn't a shortage is in the higher profile so called glamore positions. Be willing to compromise, get yer hands dirty, get some experince be it in a rural hospital or ltc, and maybe-just maybe-your dream job will open up or your perception of your dream job will change and along the way you have become a real nurse!

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aloevera, where are you and what hospital do you work at that's hiring....live in Boston but want to one day soon relocate to anywhere with palm trees.:D

A few excellent nurses left my hospital for other jobs, they were the best of the best. They offered to work per diem, know the facility, excellent skills and were not put on the per diem list which is not a long list. My ex boss is now my friend and we hang out. She makes more money if her budget is under, she gets a % of what she saves on the budget...you can call that whatever you want.This fact is encouraging her not to call in perdiems but to work short. Do you see where it is going.

Meanwhile back on the cardiac floor nurses are literally having breakdowns trying to keep taking care of the patients while working short handed. And it goes on and on and on.

So nurses are dropping out of the field left and right because they are overworked, over stressed, don't want to hurt patients...the nurse managers still do not call in perdiems, just hire the new grads at less rate of pay...and it perpetuates.

Nurse shortages?? does it even make sense with nursing schools pumping out double the student numbers, opening up night classes, reopening closed nursing programs, hiring more instructors, waiting lists 500 + applications to get into nursing school?

The nursing shortage = meeting the budget.

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It's an ongoing debate. I live in FL and some say there is and some say not, but by researching....our local hospital has about 25 posts for RN positions....and the other hospitals are similiar....that screams shortage to me.

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It's an ongoing debate. I live in FL and some say there is and some say not, but by researching....our local hospital has about 25 posts for RN positions....and the other hospitals are similiar....that screams shortage to me.

are they hiring? are they positing, are seasoned nurses leaving becuse they are run ragged short, and they are hiring new grads for less money? it depends, different areas have different motives, different hospital systems in same area, also have different motives....but think of the numbers...just think of what is being pumped out of school.

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Specializes in ICU, PACU, OR.

i think its a bit of both, i can assure you that the average age of the nurse is in the mid to late 40's. We were new at one time, and we had some hard taskmasters to teach us, and the rules were different.

I know that at our specialty area we can't have too many new nurses that outnumber the experienced because they don't have the skill sets that on the job experience teach you. So we balance the mix. Over the past two years we have lost quite a few experienced nurses to retirement, and we struggle to get the new nurses confident and competent enough to fill the gaps. Our orientation is long and when the new nurse comes out of orientation into regular staffing, they're at their most vulnerable state. With the pressure on the hospitals for nonreimbursement for patient injury, the hospital cannot hire just based on salary alone. If that was the case, they would have gotten rid of al 10 year + employees a long time ago. I honestly don't think that is their agenda.

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i think its a bit of both, i can assure you that the average age of the nurse is in the mid to late 40's. We were new at one time, and we had some hard taskmasters to teach us, and the rules were different.

I know that at our specialty area we can't have too many new nurses that outnumber the experienced because they don't have the skill sets that on the job experience teach you. So we balance the mix. Over the past two years we have lost quite a few experienced nurses to retirement, and we struggle to get the new nurses confident and competent enough to fill the gaps. Our orientation is long and when the new nurse comes out of orientation into regular staffing, they're at their most vulnerable state. With the pressure on the hospitals for nonreimbursement for patient injury, the hospital cannot hire just based on salary alone. If that was the case, they would have gotten rid of al 10 year + employees a long time ago. I honestly don't think that is their agenda.

Not not to get rid of all the senior nurses of course, but to not to respect the Rn/patient ratio in a safe manner, and yes some people leave to go to other areas of nursing. Those with a longer history stay at times which is the balancing part of the picture, many leave and are replaced. Sometimes they have to go on a med surg floor first, sometimes not. In all cases it is a stressor for RNs on the hospital floors. The per diems are not called, not used often enough and not in some cases added to the list. Even when there is a union, depends on the union. Say whatever you want by whatever your thoughts are based on in whatever area...the shortage is part hype for the budget.

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Specializes in critical care.

I live in Michigan and there are many jobs opportunities but they're mostly for midnight shift positions. As for the question re. a shortage, what I have noticed is more of an attempt on the part of hospitals to save money by short-staffing.

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Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
I live in Michigan and there are many jobs opportunities but they're mostly for midnight shift positions. As for the question re. a shortage, what I have noticed is more of an attempt on the part of hospitals to save money by short-staffing.

Totally agree......one hospital in my area has postings for over 20 positions.....friend sent app on-line 3 weeks ago and has yet to even get a call back.....she has called and left messages twice....(has over 30 yrs. exp.) she is wondering if it is age discrimination or they are just not really hiring......I am beginning to agree....

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The reason why states like Michigan have shortage is because the pay their nurses ****, and want them to work their butts off at the same time. The same is true for all the Midwest and South.

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