Why do articles say nurses are high in demand but in reality it's not?

leenak · Jan 16, 2012

Although I'm not sure what it was like 10-20 years ago, it seems to me that becoming a nurse is far from easy. I don't know about the ADN/ASN programs but I don't know of any other BS program where you are required to have multiple letters of recommendation, a resume, various essays, etc. Although the program I'm applying to doesn't require any tests to get in, other programs apparently have them and again, I don't know of any other BS program out there that requires such a thing. For my undergrad degree, I was able to get some poor grades and still graduate. This is not the case for a nursing degree. I'm not saying any of these things should change but overall, it seems like nursing programs are much more rigorous to get into than many other programs out there.

aachavez · Jan 22, 2012

Ive done a few searches on sites like monster.com. There are always a ton of RN jobs (at least in the Tampa area) BUT they require someone with experience. Usualy at least one year.

Crazed · Jan 22, 2012

My analysis of the situation begins with the impression that it has become too easy to become a nurse. Nursing programs have lowered their admission and retention standards allowing less-that qualified persons to become nurses.
Further, nursing programs have become too dependent on ATI and HESI programs to tutor students along through programs and the NCLEX. This produces more nurses and makes the job market more congested with applicants. Because the profession of nursing is by nature rigourous, demanding, and full of decision-making based on information, less capable persons should not be allowed into nursing programs. If someone insists that her life-long dream has to become a nurse, that alone does not qualify her for the profession. In reality, she needs a lot of brain power. If I were in charge of the whole matter, I would use tests such as the SAT and ACT to winnow out the crowds of persons trying to get into nursing programs. I would require a high level of math accuracy since there is a strong correlation between math skills and thinking skills. I would not admit persons to nursing programs who struggled in the sciences (microbiology, anatomy, and physiology) or persons who could not spontaneously write well. With nursing jobs rare right now, the profession can afford to leave the weak behind and build its ranks with bright, capable, and ready-to-hit-the-floor running nurses.

Wow this entire post is so pretentious and borderline racist I don't even know where to start.

Why don't you throw an IQ test in there as well? Let's say no one with an IQ of under 130 should be allowed to participate in a nursing program. Since it's known that IQ declines with age but conversely experience increases this might disallow the entry of older, more stable, nursing candidates, but hey those numbers are important.

Also let's take out all that nonsense about patient focused care or collaborative care and tell the patients that since they didn't pass Anatomy with an A their input into their own health isn't important.

At a risk of having my account banned I'll just say this: There are some skills that the automaton that you're describing wouldn't have, and couldn't be taught.

Wrench Party · Jan 22, 2012

My analysis of the situation begins with the impression that it has become too easy to become a nurse. Nursing programs have lowered their admission and retention standards allowing less-that qualified persons to become nurses. Further, nursing programs have become too dependent on ATI and HESI programs to tutor students along through programs and the NCLEX. This produces more nurses and makes the job market more congested with applicants. Because the profession of nursing is by nature rigourous, demanding, and full of decision-making based on information, less capable persons should not be allowed into nursing programs. If someone insists that her life-long dream has to become a nurse, that alone does not qualify her for the profession. In reality, she needs a lot of brain power. If I were in charge of the whole matter, I would use tests such as the SAT and ACT to winnow out the crowds of persons trying to get into nursing programs. I would require a high level of math accuracy since there is a strong correlation between math skills and thinking skills. I would not admit persons to nursing programs who struggled in the sciences (microbiology, anatomy, and physiology) or persons who could not spontaneously write well. With nursing jobs rare right now, the profession can afford to leave the weak behind and build its ranks with bright, capable, and ready-to-hit-the-floor running nurses.

So you're saying let's replace some test scores like the TEAS, HESI and ATI with other tests like the SAT or ACT, which generally just measure how well a student can read and do some math. Does not compute.

If you want to talk about tests that could possibly benefit the nursing profession, how about ones that measure social and emotional intelligence, considering as students we are learning bedside manner with clients, how to interact with other health care professionals, how to interact with other folks in our class, and do it in a compressed, stressful environment? And also, how we express our personalities and characters in the world, with friends, families and the greater community?

Additionally, I like to think each good nursing program is different and looking for a particular mix of people for each cohort. They may want to pass up the 4.0 GPA know it all for someone who presents a more complete picture -maybe an older adult with work and life experience who volunteers in the community.