Working RNs and the CNA are to blame for new graduate RN program shortages .

Nurses New Nurse

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I am a new grad. A chief of staff of a major northern California health system told me, "RNs and their high salaries made new graduate programs cost prohibitive." I work in a hospital . And work with a few people who could retire. but they've opted to continue working, buying property, cars, while i work every day, rent a room in a house , wishing i had the same opportunities they were given as a new grad. The high paid bay area RN just isnt sustainable to the future of nursing.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I had a brilliant post that was lost......nutshell. Us Senior nurses have aright to work as well....we have bills and and some of us have young children. I worked very hard to be where I am...which is actually broke because of corporate greed.

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The real problem with nursing right now is all the people who could not find any job, saw the nws articles saying be a nurse, and decided why not. The field is now flooded. 5 new nursing schools hve opened within 50mi of me in the past 3 years. 2004 saw nursing homes starting at $22/hr with $6,000 bonuses after 6mo, now the same jobs are $18/hr. Experienced nurses are being let go in favor of cheaper new grads. If a nurse is working right now they should hang onto that job because they will find it very difficult to get another. New nurses are happy to get a job and will settle for anything. Hiring entities are aware of this and are more than happy to pay less than ever before. It will take decades before this will straighten itself out.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Oncology, Neurology, Rehab.

Correction CEO's makes MILLIONS OF DOLLARS so their salary is not triple of an RN.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Oncology, Neurology, Rehab.

Trust me those nurses who are fortunate enough to purchase homes, etc are in the minority!! Most are working because they cannot AFFORD to quit, i.e they may no longer have medical insurance.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Oncology, Neurology, Rehab.
I understand how frustrating it is for the OP.

I personally know four RNs who have "retired" and are collecting their pensions and have come back to work as "casuals". Their rate of pay is $42/hour. They work three shifts a week on the lightest units in the hospital. One says she works to pay for their vacations (Europe and S. Pacific each year). One bought a house in Arizona and is providing her children with cash for their downpaymentsl. A third claims it is for the "social" aspect.

This wouldn't be bad if they pulled their weight but they don't. It's a very fast paced unit with regular staff picking up the slack these nurses don't. They only do the parts of the jobs they "enjoy", leaving the bulk of the work for the regular staff. They only pick up dayshifts M-F, so they really aren't doing anything to help with the shift short staffing because the evenings, weekends and nights are still understaffed. They don't work much during our snowy season, they don't work the M or F before a long weekend. They are bestest friends with the Unit Manager.

It's the old girl network run amok.

I just want to say, don't believe everything people say as the truth! Maybe they don't want anyone to know that they had to come back to work for pure economic reasons, and maybe they are buying homes, etc. as they say.

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

The problem isn't the high paid Bay Area RN (who earned her/his keep in an extremely expensive city) it is that our economy is in the dumps and it cost about $60,000 to train a new grad, yes 6 with four zeros behind it....some times more. A nurse with experience can get a week or less of training and then be on their own.

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I just want to say, don't believe everything people say as the truth! Maybe they don't want anyone to know that they had to come back to work for pure economic reasons, and maybe they are buying homes, etc. as they say.

Last time one checked owning a home was still supposed to be the "American Dream", so where is the crime if that is indeed motivating nurses to return or remain at work?

I don't believe everything people say either. However have cleaned up enough BMs to know BS when I smell it. *LOL*

Even if facilities found themselves short of experienced/senior nurses tomorrow they would certianly *NOT* be hiring new grads/licensed nurses with no to little experience at anywhere near the wage/benefit levels of the departed nurses.

Given the way things are going today more UAPs would be brought in, shifts broken down into part-time, or the old favourite; hire a new grad, give her the most minimal orientation then set her loose on the floors with a higher ratio than is right for her experience level with orders to "make it happen".

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

Last time one checked owning a home was still supposed to be the "American Dream", so where is the crime if that is indeed motivating nurses to return or remain at work?

I don't believe everything people say either. However have cleaned up enough BMs to know BS when I smell it. *LOL*

Even if facilities found themselves short of experienced/senior nurses tomorrow they would certianly *NOT* be hiring new grads/licensed nurses with no to little experience at anywhere near the wage/benefit levels of the departed nurses.

Given the way things are going today more UAPs would be brought in, shifts broken down into part-time, or the old favourite; hire a new grad, give her the most minimal orientation then set her loose on the floors with a higher ratio than is right for her experience level with orders to "make it happen".

I think the point was: don't snub your nose at people who say they're only working to pay for vacations and villas on private islands. Some people say things like that because they're too embarrassed/proud to say they just flat-out need the money. The reality of filthy rich, money hoarding older nurses might not be as true as OP thinks.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Oncology, Neurology, Rehab.

I would like to encourage you to NEVER GIVE UP!! Yes it is tough right now for RN"S trying to find a job. Sometimes you may have to move, and I know that may be difficult for you and many others. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices.:nurse:

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Specializes in Public Health Nurse.
i agree. in my area....finding a job isn't a problem for new grads. in fact, there are recruiters trying desperately to employ them. the local hospitals even go the university and provide lunches and question/answer sessions for students in hopes that they'll apply for a scholarship where the hospital pays for their education and in turn the student agrees to work for them for X number of years.

Minnymi where are you located?

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Specializes in Cardiology.

I recognize the struggle a new grad has in this market. In fact were it this competitive when I went to school I don't know if I would be in nursing. That said, I'm a great nurse, and I deserve to be fairly compensated. If I lived in the bay area I would expect to make more money due to the high cost of living. Basing the sustainability of healthcare on nurse pay is a flawed argument. I suspect that one day you hope to be an experienced and well compensated RN. Much of what causes RN's to work past retirement age has more to do with the economy on a whole. And quite frankly no one has an obligation to retire to make your situation easier. This is your time and it's your responsibility to find your opportunity. Maybe you need to look outside of the bay area to get your start. Blaming others situations for your own circumstances won't really get you anywhere. And knocking well paid nurses is only likely to hurt YOU in the future.

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TO NURSL56! Thank you for your words.

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