OT - Nurses, need advice

[jackie101]

True, but many hospitals are experimenting with importing nurses from other countries, particularly nurses from the Phillipines. They'll work cheaper than Americans...

Really? I have not seen or heard anything about this

 

[Andrea464]

Hello, sorry to hear about your job loss! What field were you in? What draws you to nursing? What type of nursing would you like to do?

My best advice is this:

1. Do some research now IN YOUR AREA to see how the job market is for new grad nurses. It is really bad in some areas, and I would hate for you to spend the time getting a degree that will not lead to a position. Don't listen to that nursing shortage garbage, it is not true everywhere. There is a shortage of experienced nurses willing to work for less money, there is NO shortage of new grads trying to land jobs.

2. Get a job as a Tech, NA, or CNA during nursing school. This experience will help you tremendously as a nurse, and help you get a foot in the door and make some connections for when you graduate. Try to get a job as a tech in the specialty you want to work in.

3. Bedside nursing is tough, mentally and physically. Your first year or two you may need to do night shift. You will need to be able to work nights, weekends, holidays, whatever it takes to get that foot in the door. There are a lot of places to go in nursing, and a lot of jobs with better hours, but you are not going to get any of them unless you have some experience.

4. Are you physically able to lift, bend, push, pull? Be on your feet for 12 hours? It gets easier with practice, but it can be hard at times. Can you handle body fluids? Blood, guts, vomit, poop, urine?

5. Choose a school that offers a preceptorship at the end, this can help you land a job in a tough market. Also, be nice and make friends at clinical. Make the staff on that floor want to work with you or hire you.

Nursing can be a great rewarding career, as long as you go in with eyes wide open. The first year is tough. Nursing school is also no picnic. But if you can get through nursing school and your first year as a nurse, you can do anything! There is a forum called allnurses dot com, you should give it a look.

THIS.

I've been a nurse for seven and a half years. I've worked ER, OR, public health and am now in a cardiac cath lab. I love my job now because I make a difference. It's great because I get instant gratification- someone comes in having the worst chest pain of their life having a heart attack, and I help them live. It's awesome- gives me goosebumps!
The school I went to was point based. More points went towards the difficult classes like anatomy and physiology. How well you did there was a pretty good indicator of how you'd do in nursing school.
I don't buy into the whole "no nursing shortage" bit. There are jobs available, but it might not be in the position or time slot people want. It depends on location too. When I lived in a smaller town we had a small hospital. It was incredibly hard to get a job there. But I'm now at a large trauma center that is associated with a university and school of medicine- there are always jobs available!!!

What I love about nursing- you're not limited to one area. You don't like peds? Don't have to do it. There are so many areas where you can find your groove!

 

[ABtwinmommy]

True, but many hospitals are experimenting with importing nurses from other countries, particularly nurses from the Phillipines. They'll work cheaper than Americans...

That is not accurate. Certain areas of extreme nursing shortage started bringing in nurses from the Phillipines several years ago. For same or better pay. Plus the cost of recuiting and getting them here. Not to pay less money, but to fill needs.

OP, as others have said, nursing school is challenging. Teachers were strict, tests were hard. Perform well or you are out. As difficult as it was, nursing school did not at all prepare me for what it is actually like to be a nurse. Bedside nursing is very difficult physically, mentally, emotionally. The pressure can be extreme. You have people's lives in your hands. And the working conditions are not always great. Frankly, they can be downright inhumane. 12+ hour shifts with no break to eat/drink/pee sometimes. Hours are long, weekends, holidays required. May need to work off-shifts or rotate. RNs are not always paid as well as (IMO) they should be.

All that said, I am glad that I went into nursing. You get to do work that you can be proud of (at least sometimes!) I like that there are so many options - like all the different areas/specialties and different shifts/#hrs etc.

As far as what to expect as a bedside nurse... Nursing is unique in that you work with strangers (the patients) on a very intimate level. You see them at their most vulnerable and private states. It is eye opening, to say the least. It is not always easy to deal with people that are sick, scared, and/or confused. It is not always easy to deal with their families either. But it can be very rewarding.

Despite all the challenges of the profession, I call it a great profession. But it is certainly not for everyone. If you believe it is for you, go for it! And welcome to nursing!

 

[luvthemouse71]

Really? I have not seen or heard anything about this

Oh, yeah. It happens. A lot. Management loves them because most of them are more deferential and grateful to be working. So, they tend not to call administration on their crap.

Any traveling nurse is going to make more money than staff. This goes for the ones in the US too.

 

[akcire]

My daughters preschool has a new grad with a BSN working as a preschool teacher for $10 an hour. She can't find a job. She did very well in school, and has sent out hundreds of resumes. Also many of the "preschool parents" have tried to help her find work. She has been told that no one is hiring new grads.

 

[Ennazus8810]

Just like anything else the job market depends on where you live. My sister is in nursing school, a non traditional student. 35 years old with 4 kids. She graduates in May. She has already been offered a job. There is a huge shortage here, even with 3 RN programs in a 30 mile radius.

 

[buckirj1]

I researched returning to school for an RN degree, and decided against it. It's very difficult to find a full-time nursing job (even with late shift hours) with full benefits in my area. There are lots of part-time and prn positions, but I would need full employment and benefits. LPN jobs abound, but that's relatively low-paying.

 

[mrudman]

It really does depend on the area you live. We have plenty of positions always opening up around here.. but of course, we also have tons of hospitals just within a 45 minute drive from here.

Most of the hospitals have gotten rid of the LPN position here, so RN's work mainly in the hospitals where LPN's get the nursing home/doctor's office positions.

 

[dakcp2001]

I researched returning to school for an RN degree, and decided against it. It's very difficult to find a full-time nursing job (even with late shift hours) with full benefits in my area. There are lots of part-time and prn positions, but I would need full employment and benefits. LPN jobs abound, but that's relatively low-paying.

You also cannot be hired for a prn position until you have a year or two of solid bedside experience.

 

[bittybabygrower]

You also cannot be hired for a prn position until you have a year or two of solid bedside experience.

You can be hired as PRN as a new grad at some places, but I would NOT recommend it. You will not get a full orientation and may be required to float to other units. Not safe!

 

[dakcp2001]

You can be hired as PRN as a new grad at some places, but I would NOT recommend it. You will not get a full orientation and may be required to float to other units. Not safe!

I would not want to be a patient at any facility that thinks that is acceptable.

 

[ZoeBell]

I became an RN about 15 years ago and I can't imagine doing anything differently. I'll be honest school stinks.. At times I like like I was sinking and barely holding it together. Also I was working and a mother to 2 young kids, and accidently got pregnant with my 3rd going into my last year. But I hung on.

One other bit my advice, imo nursing school doesn't prepare you at all for the real world of nursing. I'm not even sure if it prepared me for my boards. lol

But in the end it's such a rewarding career. I work in a maternity setting and I love it.

 

[RellaSprinkles]

Never mind 5 years from now..it's happening already. I know new grads that graduated in May and still don't have a job. The nursing shortage is a myth. Many employers don't want new grads- too expensive to train.

OP , just be aware that you will be lucky to find a job right out of school. You may have to take any job just to get that experience .

School is often like boot camp. It can be very tough emotionally.it pays to be tough and not overly sensitive. It also takes a big part of your life. Lack of sleep is a big part and it helps to have a good support system.

Agree with this.

I would say just be extremely determined and be prepared to work HARD. Nursing school was tough, to say the least... emotionally, physically.. it was a lot of sacrifice. Not just for me, but everyone around me.
And know that you will have to pound the pavement and put in a lot of time/effort into finding a job (any job).
Having said all of that... I graduated two years ago as a RN. I have worked in labor & delivery for 1.5 years now and I LOVE what I do.
I look back at all of the challenges, hard work, and I'm very proud of myself for what I've accomplished, especially that I did all of it with three young children at home.
If it's what you really feel called to do, DO IT

 

[dakcp2001]

Being a nurse sure does age you. I had the worse shift ever last night. Our patient to nurse ratios keep getting worse worse worse. I am literally running around like a chicken with my head cut off for 12 + hours. All in the name of "budget cuts" I really don't think I could encourage anyone to go into nursing, in good conscience. It really just keeps getting worse.

 

[furb & dez]

Being a nurse sure does age you. I had the worse shift ever last night. Our patient to nurse ratios keep getting worse worse worse. I am literally running around like a chicken with my head cut off for 12 + hours. All in the name of "budget cuts" I really don't think I could encourage anyone to go into nursing, in good conscience. It really just keeps getting worse.

Prediction: Once the current glut of nursing students graduates, and with the attrition of current working nurses, hospitals will begin hiring the newly-graduated nurses (slowly) at lowball wages and begin the process of getting rid of high-tenure nurses, lowering the wages across the board in the process.

Those high-tenure nurses who want to remain in the field will find that hospitals won't hire them at the wage they want, and will have to settle or move out of the field. The newly-trained nurses will find themselves in a tight job market with too many nurses fresh out of college (with "not enough experience") and artificially low wages will result.

And because of "budget cuts" the nurse-to-patient ratio will still be too high.

Capitalism!

 

[Kellydelly]

You can be hired as PRN as a new grad at some places, but I would NOT recommend it. You will not get a full orientation and may be required to float to other units. Not safe!

Being PRN doesn't mean you wouldn't get a full orientation. Whether or not you get a proper orientation has nothing to do with what position you hire in at. Where I work you will float to other units unless you work in a closed one (like maternity), it has nothing to do with being PRN. Full and part time staff also have to float around.

Being a nurse is a rough job (floor nurse), I wouldn't tell anyone to go that route if they already have a career or other job skills. I am thankful that I don't have to work fulltime and that my husband is the main breadwinner. Being a nurse can stress you out like no other job. The hospitals keep cutting back support staff and increasing pt ratios. It is nothing like I thought it would be when I started nursing school 4 yrs ago.

 

[dakcp2001]

Double post

 

[dakcp2001]

Prediction: Once the current glut of nursing students graduates, and with the attrition of current working nurses, hospitals will begin hiring the newly-graduated nurses (slowly) at lowball wages and begin the process of getting rid of high-tenure nurses, lowering the wages across the board in the process.

Those high-tenure nurses who want to remain in the field will find that hospitals won't hire them at the wage they want, and will have to settle or move out of the field. The newly-trained nurses will find themselves in a tight job market with too many nurses fresh out of college (with "not enough experience") and artificially low wages will result.

And because of "budget cuts" the nurse-to-patient ratio will still be too high.

Capitalism!

Nurses start off at quite a few dollars less an hour less than new hires did 4 years ago at my hospital. Wages are going way down, and with wage freezes there are no raises.