I know it's nearly impossible to give an accurate answer, but I would like to know everyone's opinions on how long they think this is going to go on for, or if this hiring freeze is permanent and that nursing is going to forever be a difficult field to get a job in from now on. Do you think that the nursing field has stablized itself to the point where nurses are never going to have the freedom, siging bonuses, or ease of finding jobs again? Do you think that it will ever return to what it was just a couple of years ago?
I'm just curious as to what everyone thinks because I'm personally worried that nursing is going to be forever changed to the point where nurses are never going to have that freedom that used to come with getting a nursing license and working as a nurse.
I'm going to be done with nursing school in about a year from now and I'm wondering if everything will clear up and there will be openings, or if I'm just wasting my time in school for a field that I'm going to have an extremely difficult time finding a job in.
So the answer is the hiring freeze will end when the recession is over, the credit availability stabilizes and the uncertainty about reimbursements get resolved. It is not something that can be readily answered with specificity.
Great post! Thank you.
BTW: My hospital is starting to hire again -- anticipating a very bad flu season that will greatly increase the demand for nursing services and also provide us with the income (increased census) to pay for the increased staff. We are also considering hiring some travelers (which we haven't done in a while) to get us through the next few months.
We have enough applicants to remain "picky" about who we hire ... but we are hiring.
It'll let up once nursing schools stop oversaturating the market with new grads. My nursing class was about 35 new grads. A year later, the graduating class was 150. That is absolutely ridiculous and insane. Word got around about how much RNs make, and then everyone wanted to jump on the bandwagon. Fortunately, though, in a few years I think the hype will die down and we'l be back to where we were a few years ago.
Specializes in Surgery, Tele, OB, Peds,ED-True Float RN.
Easy for RN's to get a job? What alternate universe are you living in? Maybe you just haven't spent enough time reading the threads on this site, but what you said just simply isn't true. Times are difficult for everyone right now, including experienced RN's. Your friend may have gotten lucky, but there are way too many new grads that aren't getting as lucky.
He is probably in a different part of the world than you. It might be hard where you live, but where I am the RN students have jobs and sign of bonuses before graduation. However, the LPN's are not so much in demand at this time. So, it's not difficult for EVERYONE right now.
Same for my area there are many more LPN openings then for RN's. Even with my 30 years I cant find a job with the freezes!! MD offices, quality review, LTC, urgent tx centers, etc all are advertising for LPNs here. I have even been told "your over qualified" LMAO!!!
Easy for RN's to get a job? What alternate universe are you living in? Maybe you just haven't spent enough time reading the threads on this site, but what you said just simply isn't true. Times are difficult for everyone right now, including experienced RN's. Your friend may have gotten lucky, but there are way too many new grads that aren't getting as lucky.
Countries with Universal Healthcare programs aren't seeing the job crunch like the US is because they are not dependent on the majority of people having private health insurance. Here, people lose their jobs and insurance, they aren't going to get elective care. Other countries, a person loses a job, they are still insured and will still seek medical care as always. The economy is still bad, but not as much so for the healthcare system.
It would be nice to have a clearcut answer to this. I have been working for the last few years (part time, and I had a kid) working on prereqs...now I don't even think I want to go to nursing school. I live in Colorado and it is almost impossible for a new grad to get a job. Especially in the northern region (where I am). Even my mom who has been a nurse for 20 odd years can't find a job. Ten years ago everyone wanted to hire her, people would even try to steal her away from her job. She left the place over a year ago and can't find anything. Teh one place she found laid her and half a dozen people off after only a couple of months.
Does anyone else know if other healthcare jobs are in the same situation, or is it only this bad for nursing? I am talking rad techs, respiratory therapists, surg techs, etc. I might look into pursing one of those, and then go to nursing school down the road when things pick up.
I don't have any idea when the hiring freeze will end. We are having problems applying in SF area.. I went out and still couldn't find any hospitals hiring nurses. Sometimes I get frustrated because the nurses land on jobs they never wanted. NURSES wanted to work in hospitals but they are not given the chance by these people. They have been looking for experience... How could we find one when you guys won't give us good training and who knows we will better nurses in the future.
well out here in CA they're is a somewhat high demand for RN especially in the Inland Empire(county).Yea my friend got real lucky.But i also know other RN's that have gotten their jobs in a month.
I am in Northern California and there are NO jobs. Over half of my class did not get jobs. All of NorCal is pretty bad. From what I understand SoCal is a LITTLE better. Maybe there is a demand for Inland Empire County...but then you would have to live there.
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llg, PhD, RN
13,469 Posts
Great post! Thank you.
BTW: My hospital is starting to hire again -- anticipating a very bad flu season that will greatly increase the demand for nursing services and also provide us with the income (increased census) to pay for the increased staff. We are also considering hiring some travelers (which we haven't done in a while) to get us through the next few months.
We have enough applicants to remain "picky" about who we hire ... but we are hiring.