Nurses having trouble finding jobs???

[everylastbreath]

I have heard that nurses are having trouble getting jobs ?? Is anyone having any trouble finding positions? Nursing has hystorically been a job that has had no trouble finding work, is anyone experiencing any difficulty finding a position, and if you are, is it specific shifts/depts, or general?

 

[Piecey]

My cousin just passed her boards for RN and she was having some issues.

I believe, though, that her issues were because she wants to stay in OB/GYN.

She found out yesterday that she got a job on L&D at the local hospital so waiting out for a job she wanted paid off.

 

[jaminmd]

Well, it depends on where you are I suppose. We have plenty of nursing jobs around here but you may have to choose a less desirable position.

My hospital has been canceling staff for months. We have had an abnormally low census and when that drops, they adjust staff according to the matrix. We haven't eliminated any positions but agency use is pretty much non-existent and our PRN pool only works about 40% of the shifts they bid for.

 

[Heidict]

My SIL is an RN and has always picked up extra shifts through a couple agencies. For about 6 months now she hasn't been getting any. Thankfully, she has her FT RN job, but it's killing her not having the extra money coming in from the agencies.

 

[castleview]

Nurses just out of school are having trouble finding jobs, but I think there's still some out there for experienced nurses.

 

[MagicalMom]

My hospital has been on a hiring freeze for awhile. Most in our area are. I know a few nurses that can't find jobs at all. I alays said there was no nursing shortage, just a shortage of nurses that work full time; but with the economy that's changed. I never worked full time until last spring. I've been called off twice in the past 2 weeks. They swear we are over-staffed. I see it differently.

 

[Chicago526]

My friend is a FT nurse but once every few weeks her shift is called off, I'm not sure if her hospital is hirering or not.

 

[npmommie]

There are jobs around here, but agency work has decreased a bit. I have a friend who works thru a travel agency but she stays in state, and has had no problems finding work.
there are jobs out there,they may not be the exact shift area you want but they are there.

as far as staffing nurses in hospitals, I think it is going to get worse.
thats all I am saying.

 

[kidzmom3]

in MA new grads are having trouble finding permanent positions. So many nurses that had retired or were per diem, have come back into regularly scheduled positions. Experienced ER and CCU nurses can still get a job pretty easily at the facility I work at, but those depts do not hire new grads. I have heard that if you are willing to work in a nursing home, jobs are easier to find.

 

[WL Fan]

When I graduated here in Michigan 12 years ago, it was pick and choose for new nurses, I got offers from every interview I went on. Now, the students are ending up taking jobs at nursing homes and part time night jobs to have any money coming in. We have a few postings at our hospital, but only for experienced nurses, and most of those positions are already spoken for, they just have to be posted for rule's sake.

I sure wouldn't want to be a new nurse right now.

And they say, there's still a shortage, or one looming anyway. I don't see it.

 

[kgc07]

I graduated in May and got a job in the ER. It was the first and only interview I went on. I think it depends on where you are how easy/hard the jobs are to come by.

 

[Sehsun]

I graduated in May and became an RN in June. I went on 10 interviews (for different areas) and got an official offer after my 10th interview. I am very thankful for my job!

I do agree that it is harder for new nurses to get jobs. It costs the hospital a lot of money & time to train new grads, so it makes sense why they would rather hire an experienced nurse over a new grad nurse.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Our hospital has a hiring freeze right now also, and they have had to send people home due to not enough patients, etc.

 

[Poppinsme]

Yes. They are not hiring at the hospital I work at. And they really need us oldtimers to teach the young ones now, by cracky!

Getting a job in healthcare is NOT a given.

I think it will get worse and have told my friends to stay were they are. We used to be so liquid. If you didnt like the management, quit, go work somewhere else. Me thinks those days are gone. And god help us when they freeze our pay. You all know that in our healthcare jobs its all about the money. Sad but true.

 

[kidzmom3]

I graduated in May and became an RN in June. I went on 10 interviews (for different areas) and got an official offer after my 10th interview. I am very thankful for my job!

I do agree that it is harder for new nurses to get jobs. It costs the hospital a lot of money & time to train new grads, so it makes sense why they would rather hire an experienced nurse over a new grad nurse.

I agree with this. I work in the ED, so my experience may be different. But if they hire a nurse with no ED experience (but she must have at least 2 years med/surg) they are on a 6 month training period. they have to take PALS , TNCC and ACLS. The must be precepted on every shift with an experienced nurse. So the first 6 months not only do we not get a nurse that we are paying for, but we also pay more for extra certifications.

 

[toystorymom]

I am an RN in MA and I think there are definitely nursing jobs out there, just maybe not the ones we really want. The great thing about nursing is there are so many options, hospitals, MD offices, nursing homes, rehab centers, schools, homecare, etc. and often RNs need to be staffed 24/7.

I also agree that new grads are having a tougher time. My friend graduated last Spring and had been working as a CNA at a local hospital - then they wouldn't hire her as an RN! They do have job openings posted but aren't willing to hire new grads at this time. The Boston hospitals will often only take RNs with a BSN. My friend did find a job rather quickly, in a long term care facility, not what she had originally hoped but she is thankful to have the job, figures she'll get a year of experience and then reapply at the hospital.

 

[Patricia]

Do any of you think there is a difference in the job opportunities for BSN's?

 

[minkydog]

Here in Atlanta they are still hiring nurses, but mostly it's Full-time nights in the ED or ICUs, or weekends only--NOT what I'm looking for. I have a lot of pediatric experience but nobody wants to hire for part-time. I can't work overnight due to some health problems and I don't want to work in the ICUs--I did that for over 10 years and I'm done with that.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Do any of you think there is a difference in the job opportunities for BSN's?

Could you be more specific?

As others have said, those nurses without experience may have trouble finding the positions of their dreams - right now. As long as I've been a nurse, the nursing job market has gone in cycles. Some years you can take your pick of jobs; other years things are tight. It always cycles back one way or the other. One thing is for certain - nurses are always in demand.

As for the BSN, from what I can tell, some of it is regional. I work in Boston and what toystorymom said above is true here. Furthermore, there is pressure on nurses without BSNs already employed to go back to school to get it. So if you live in NE and you want to work in Boston, it behooves you to get your BSN. I can't speak for anywhere else.

 

[lsyorke]

The BSN thing appears to be very regional. Here in NJ it makes no difference if your a BSN or not, unless you're looking for an administrative position.