Where are all the nurses?

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Can someone please tell me where all the nurses who are looking for jobs are?

I have at least 4 full time and 2 part time openings and I haven't had one good candidate apply. I've had people who lie on their application, people who will only work first shift and are amazed that they'll have to work on every other weekend...where are all the nurses? We pay better than the other facilities around and just had a perfect survey.

What's up out there?

CapeCodMermaid

I've been telling you for years I'd cut off my right arm to work for you! :)

Experienced LTC/SNF LPN and recent RN grad. Love my geriatric patients.

Alas, while I'm in CT, I'm closer to the NY border. To haul up into the MA border would just be too much...dagnabit!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Funny enough right before I saw this post I responded to this little gem in a post about 'how hard is your nursing school'

"Mine's not hard at all. And that's why most of the graduates end up going to work at nursing homes....."

Needless to say it ruffled my feathers quite a bit! Putting down LTC/SNF nurses, yet is also putting him/herself down talking about what a bad school they attend and hasn't a clue. Ahhh, they don't know, what they don't know

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Blame the competition. There's a reason so many nurses refuse to work in SNFs.

I'm sure the OP's SNF is exceptionally well-run, but many, many others aren't. In the last few years, many nurses have ended up working in awful SNFs. Once you've been burned enough times, you don't go back, even if it means working retail.

Personally, I will sell my body on the street before I work in another SNF.

Haha,but i hear you!

Everytime i think about leaving Private Duty,i think of the nursing home.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency and Critical Care.

I was lucky to start out my career in some wonderful Nursing Homes, I moved to the hospital setting for more experience, with returning to LTC in the back of my mind, now I am a Director of LPN and CNA programs and work closely with the local LTC facilities. I have seen several nurses that had worked in the local hospitals transition to the LTC facilities for advancement that they could not get at the hospital. This transition is interesting and I will be watching it closely. In many instances I think the Nurses are who will ultimately improve the care of residents in LTC.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Sub-Acute, Hopsice.

The local hospital will be laying off another round of nurses in June....I am hopeful, although I don't think hospital nurses could handle the patient load on a sub acute floor!

I like that last sentence. I worked in LTC for 22 years befor moving to hospice. I saw many a hospital nurse come and go because they thought LTC would be soooo easy! They were so used to treat em and street em...not having an actual relationship with the resident and family. Or the fact of a 30:1 or more pt:nurse ratio. And in Sub-acute, the mis of pts...AAOx3 to demented, surgical pts to long term IV , g-tube, nasty, wound vac type wounds. And they all "belong" to you. I started my nursing career in LTC in the mid 80's, moved to sub-acute rehab in the mid 90's and to hospice in the mid 00's. I be seen a lot of nurses come and go in all 3 areas.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Just graduated with my BSN. I'm in northern RI very close to Fall River. Tons and tons of hospitals around, applied for about 30 positions with not even one call back. The job market is rough up here-i'm surprised you haven't been able to find any qualified applicants...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Agreed! I'm suprised as well. It took me 6 mo of searching and one month of doing door to door stops at facilities before landing a job in a SNF. Jessmurph- I suggest you stop putting resumes into the black hole that is online job apps. Dress your best, print out resumes- go door to door- have a little 5min blurb about yourself! Meet people face to face, shake hands, send out follow up emails and thank you notes, collect business cards of nurse managers! You will get job this way quicker than applying online.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you! Yup that's where I was at. I actually just got hired at a LTC facility.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Gerontology RN-BC and FNP MSN student.

We were deficiency free also. Whoop! Whoop! It's a great feeling. And pay a few bucks more an hour than other close by towns...but we seem to have a high turnover in a few nurse slots as well.

I think it's the nurse end and not the facilties end.....As far as people not working out for us.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case Management, LTC,Rehab.

I can sympathize with the new grads not being able to find jobs. I graduated with my BSN in 2009 and couldn't find a job to save my life. Every place said we need RN's with experience, experience, experience. I applied to hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living. I finally landed a job in public health doing case management. To this day, I thank the director for giving me a chance! Wish more people were like that!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment