career change at 32

[alienlovechild 75]

I don't see that happening. I think the oldest paper below is from December of last year. So this is current literature.

Nursing jobs are around. You just might have to look around to find what you want.

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media/pdf/NrsgShortageFS.pdf

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media/factsheets/nursingshortage.htm

http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/17/news/economy/nursing_shortage/index.htm

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/viewpoints/viewpoints/view/20100606-274144/US-raises-alarm-over-nursing-shortage

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm

Your sources are mostly shills for nursing schools or they're talking about job forecasts in the long-term.

Here's what's really happening now.

"An advisory for new grads published by the association warns that the market is "flooded" with experienced RNs who have come out of retirement, delayed retirement or gone from part-time to full-time employment because of the recession.

The nursing job market tightened noticeably last year. A June 2009 survey by the association of 2,112 spring RN graduates found 44% hadn't yet landed a nursing job.

In metro Cincinnati, the job market for RNs is the tightest in the 20 years that a hospital workforce survey has been conducted by the Greater Cincinnati Health Council, says the council's Mary Duffey. "Our May students are not finding positions."

When the economy improves a wave of retirements is expected. "Unless we are very proactive ... this could be catastrophic for the nation's health care system," says Beverly Malone, CEO of the National League for Nursing, a nursing educators' group.

Large nursing shortages are still forecast as aging Baby Boomers need more care and millions of additional Americans get insurance in 2014 under the nation's new health law. A Vanderbilt University analysis last year — before the health law passed — predicted that the U.S. will be short 260,000 nurses by 2025.

Two or three years ago, new grads often had multiple job offers, says Kathleen Ann Long, dean of the University of Florida College of Nursing. "I would describe this as a temporary blip in a very long-term trend that indicates a severe shortage of nurses in this country," she says.

To get jobs now, new RNs may need to be flexible about location and shifts and look beyond their preferred jobs in hospitals. Jobs are easier to find in some parts of the country than others. "Our students are getting jobs, it's just that they're not getting their first or second choice," says Janet Allan, dean of the University of Maryland nursing school.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-07-09-1Anurses09_ST_N.htm

I'm not an RN but my wife is the one looking for a job.

[Atencio 43]

Your sources are mostly shills for nursing schools or they're talking about job forecasts in the long-term.

Here's what's really happening now.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-07-09-1Anurses09_ST_N.htm

I'm not an RN but my wife is the one looking for a job.

USA today is your trump reference over mine? Whatever. Not a graduate level source by any means but lets work with what we have.

From your source (I high lighted the important parts since you seemed to miss them in your haste to prove your point):

Large nursing shortages are still forecast as aging Baby Boomers need more care and millions of additional Americans get insurance in 2014 under the nation's new health law. A Vanderbilt University analysis last year — before the health law passed — predicted that the U.S. will be short 260,000 nurses by 2025.

Two or three years ago, new grads often had multiple job offers, says Kathleen Ann Long, dean of the University of Florida College of Nursing. "I would describe this as a temporary blip in a very long-term trend that indicates a severe shortage of nurses in this country," she says.

To get jobs now, new RNs may need to be flexible about location and shifts and look beyond their preferred jobs in hospitals. Jobs are easier to find in some parts of the country than others. "Our students are getting jobs, it's just that they're not getting their first or second choice," says Janet Allan, dean of the University of Maryland nursing school.

[Atencio 43]

Your sources are mostly shills for nursing schools or they're talking about job forecasts in the long-term.

Here's what's really happening now.

"An advisory for new grads published by the association warns that the market is "flooded" with experienced RNs who have come out of retirement, delayed retirement or gone from part-time to full-time employment because of the recession.

The above is quite funny

My sources according to you, The American Association of Critical Care Nurses is a shill for nursing schools while the advisory you mention is the National Student Nurses' Association. Now I understand that you are not a nurse and should cut you some slack but you are comparing the AACN to NSNA?

[Atencio 43]

One other humorous note on your reference

http://www.nsna.org/CareerCenter/UltimateAdventure.aspx

External Resource Links (on NSNA website)

* Schools of Nursing

* Direct Links to Hospitals with Positions for New Graduates

* Discover Nursing

* From NIH: Explore Health and Medical Science Careers

* Nursing Student to Nursing Leader

* Nursing Workforce Diversity Program

* Occupational Outlook for Registered Nurses (U.S. Department of Labor)

Accredited Baccalaureate and Masters Degree Programs

Why I do believe this is one of my references that you poo-pooed.

[slim 1,525]

In metro Cincinnati, the job market for RNs is the tightest in the 20 years that a hospital workforce survey has been conducted by the Greater Cincinnati Health Council, says the council's Mary Duffey. "Our May students are not finding positions."

You do realize it's July, right?

I live in Cincinnati and each day the job listings are inundated with RN positions available. If fresh grads aren't finding jobs in the first two months after graduation, I'd suspect it's because they're like all the other college kids out there - waiting for the right one. Many will find themselves unable to get that Mon-Fri day shift job in pediatric care like they've always dreamed of. Eventually, their graduation money will run out or mommy and daddy will tire of paying their way and they'll be compelled to work the weekend shift and 12-hour nights.

Then they won't be unemployed any more!

[justashooter 430]

You do realize it's July, right?

I live in Cincinnati and each day the job listings are inundated with RN positions available. If fresh grads aren't finding jobs in the first two months after graduation, I'd suspect it's because they're like all the other college kids out there - waiting for the right one. Many will find themselves unable to get that Mon-Fri day shift job in pediatric care like they've always dreamed of. Eventually, their graduation money will run out or mommy and daddy will tire of paying their way and they'll be compelled to work the weekend shift and 12-hour nights.

Then they won't be unemployed any more!

most of the RN positions "available" in your local paper are contract position offers thru temp agencies. in other words, all of these "openings" are just repeats of offers that do not really exist in number. this i have from my contacts in the field, many of whom have elected to work "placements" in home settings that require intensive intervention at rates of up to $45 per hour on PT basis. who really needs to make more than $900 a week, anyway?

some of the ads you see are also specifically structured to facilitate the importation of foreign nurses, who work longer hours and harder shifts for less money, by creating the illusion of a nursing shortage. there are agencies that specialise in importing foreign nurses. it's what they do, and after playing middleman they make a sizeable chunk of change, just like the companies that import indian IT guys. in both cases an American loses a job opportunity so that a foreigner can get one. in both cases there is significant fraud in qualification of many of the imported workers, a reduction of the wage base standard, and a general dumbing down of America.

truth is, most hospitals are on a hiring freeze or layoff cycle as federal and state budgets are being cut. nursing homes are electing to minimise RN, in favour of LPN. sure, this will weed out some of the dead wood, but replacements are coming in by temp agency, if at all. in the end the people working will actually be better qualified, but the process is painful.

as for myself, currently in nursing school and intending to go thru to nurse practioner, i expect to be able to find work in the field when i need to, on basis of my good looks, charm, and winnning presonality. if that don't work i can always go back to banging on steel with a 3 pound maul. i still have the right arm for it, 20 years later.

the people i am in school with are varied. most are 25-35 year old CNA or LPN trying to up the pay scale. some are middle aged and looking for a 2nd career. about 25% are young girls just out of high school, driven and disciplined. about half of the people who have survived the 50% cuts the anatomy and physiology and microbiology courses bring are competent to finish the program, and serious/mature enough to hold the position. they are 3.5 students, on average.

there is one interesting dynamic that comes to light. there is some academic dishonesty in the process. for example, there is a 45 year old laid off project manager that is struggling with a 3.0 who is the ringleader of a clique that elected to sit out the examinations in the micro class. he arranged for them with the instructor to take the exams later, in a "learning center" scenario. they managed to get the researcher turned mom/PT instructor to allow this for the first 3 exams.

the rest of the class was understandably upset with this perversion of process, which probably involved a pen camera or information sharing, at the least. my discussions with other adjunct instructors in the same environment and thinly veiled threats to bring the issue to the administration have ended the "special exemption", albeit, after significant damage to the integrity of process is done. as this clique progresses thru the coursework i will parallel them, and will be sure to monitor their behaviour in this competitive program.

how difficult is the RN program? i am a 4.0 student so far, and rarely crack a book, studying only for a half hour of notes review before examination. but then, i was in top 1% of SAT tests, placed 2nd in a civil service examination of 700, scored 97 on the CWI examination that 50% of people fail with less than a 70, and have been largely self taught for most of my life.

what has been the most difficult part of being in college? listening to the cultural diversity and entitlement ####### that is forced down my throat at every given opportunity. it's not the question of race that is troublesome in such cases, rather, the expectation that i can be forced to accomodate unacceptable behaviour, from people of any culture. people in academia seem to be heavily invested in the effort to reduce the stature/function of traditional American caucasian culture, rather than increasing the stature/function of non-caucasians from unsucessful cultures.

i am not a racist, by any means. i worked in louisiana as a helicopter mechanic in the 1980's with an almost entirely black peerage of viet nam veterans, and never saw any significant amount of racism. i still have black friends from that group to this day. i lived in china for 5 years, married a chinese woman, and still have many chinese friends. i have worked in 9 very different countries with effective people, and never saw prople of any race that could not function, if they wanted to.

what i cannot tolerate, though, is failure to acculturate or accomodate honorable and worthy behaviour. this is often mischaracterised as racism. but lets face it, not only do i not make friends with illiterate blacks and mexicans, but i also refuse to associate with illiterate whites. it doesn't matter what color a guy is, as long as he runs his life effectively and with respect to those around him.

[alienlovechild 75]

From your source (I high lighted the important parts since you seemed to miss them in your haste to prove your point):

I actually read my source and had to spoon feed your own talking point abouts long-term prospects. You didn't notice I edited the story and you just posted some links without reading them.

You do realize it's July, right?

I live in Cincinnati and each day the job listings are inundated with RN positions available. If fresh grads aren't finding jobs in the first two months after graduation, I'd suspect it's because they're like all the other college kids out there - waiting for the right one. Many will find themselves unable to get that Mon-Fri day shift job in pediatric care like they've always dreamed of. Eventually, their graduation money will run out or mommy and daddy will tire of paying their way and they'll be compelled to work the weekend shift and 12-hour nights.

You do realize that 20 years is longer than July, right? There's big difference between demand for experienced RNs and new grads. My wife will take part-time, graveyard shift, weekends. . . doesn't matter.

[Atencio 43]

I actually read my source and had to spoon feed your own talking point abouts long-term prospects. You didn't notice I edited the story and you just posted some links without reading them.

If you did then why do ignore what they are saying. They are saying this a new phenomenon in some areas. Not according to your quote,"don't believe the hype about a nursing shortage- it doesn't exist now and hasn't for the last couple of years.".

From your reference, Come on I am only using your reference.

"I would describe this as a temporary blip in a very long-term trend that indicates a severe shortage of nurses in this country," she says."

So this is the last couple of years? Oh wait there is more:

"To get jobs now, new RNs may need to be flexible about location and shifts and look beyond their preferred jobs in hospitals. Jobs are easier to find in some parts of the country than others. "Our students are getting jobs, it's just that they're not getting their first or second choice," says Janet Allan, dean of the University of Maryland nursing school."

Ok, so this lady says her students are getting jobs.

So your own source disagrees with you as you agressively cling to it.

You do realize that 20 years is longer than July, right? There's big difference between demand for experienced RNs and new grads. My wife will take part-time, graveyard shift, weekends. . . doesn't matter.

This does not even make any sense. The article says this is the tightest the market has been in 20 years. This does mean for the last 20 years. Nursing has always had as the author called blips where jobs are tighter for a bit but it is always temporary.

Slim is correct. My hospital has a School of Nursing attached to it. A lot of new grads will wait for the ideal job. Either they want a particular shift or work in a certain specialty like ER, ICU, or OB. In fact, certain months it is tougher to get a job for new grads then other months. Some hospitals like to wait to bring in new nurses because they have special orientation programs they want to put them through. Also if you have a lot of nursing schools in one area come July there is going to be a lot of competition.

I understand from your prospective what with wife unable to find a job that the nursing shortage is all hype. But it is not the case on a national level and definitely not the case in Los Angeles as we still are importing many travelers from other parts of the country to fill unused FTE's.

For every article like the one you supply from USAtoday I will give you 20 from other professional sources that disagree with your "this is all hype" response.

Edited July 24, 2010 by Atencio

[alienlovechild 75]

"I would describe this as a temporary blip in a very long-term trend that indicates a severe shortage of nurses in this country," she says."

Ok, so this lady says her students are getting jobs.

So your own source disagrees with you as you agressively cling to it.

I made the distinction between new RN grads and those with experience and your only reference you quote is my shoddy source. I'm not disputing the long-term need for nurses.

It's clear you haven't looked for a nursing job w/o experience recently and don't know much beyond job forecasts.

Here I'll let "cling" to my more recent sources.

"But the economic crisis of the past 18 months kept experienced nurses on the job, from senior nurses who might otherwise have retired to regular staffers who picked up any available extra shifts. The combination has served to squeeze out new grads, who must be precepted before they can work independently.

The situation is likely to get worse in many areas of the country before it gets better, said Dennis Yee, CHCR, recruitment consultant at Children's Hospital Central

California in Madera, CA, and president-elect of the National Association for Health Care Recruitment (NAHCR).

"The entire healthcare arena is being impacted by the recession," Yee said. "But the main problem is what to do with our new nursing grads. There is no question that the classes of 2008 and 2009 were hardest hit, but the 2010 grads may well find themselves feeling the same pinch."

The issue was the hot topic at this summer's NAHCR conference, Yee shared.

"The majority of hospitals [across the country] have no space for new grads," he said. "A few can take a few, but no one can accommodate a whole class. In the past, new grads found programs at nearly every hospital, but this year, only a few are still running. We probably won't see this open up for another year or so."

Meanwhile, Deloras Jones, MN, RN, executive director of the California Institute for Nursing & Health Care (CINHC), has been holding meetings across the state to address the lack-of-jobs issue.

"Up to 40 percent of 2009 new grads may not be able to find jobs in acute care and there are still some 2008 grads not working," Jones said. "We can't afford to lose them. In looking for a solution, what resonated was a new initiative supporting development of community-based transitional programs like residencies in an educational institution sponsored by regional collaboratives."

Jones said while many hospitals can't afford new grad programs and can't bring on new grads, they will need experienced nurses when the economy rights itself.

http://nursing.advanceweb.com/Article/Nursing-Job-Shortage.aspx

The center's researchers report that the percentage of RN program directors surveyed who said their region has a strong job market for nurses dropped to 42% in 2009 from 95% in 2006. For hospital jobs, the percentage of program directors saying there are a lot of jobs plummeted to 38% from 95%.

"Significantly fewer nursing education program directors reported many available job opportunities in their region for newly trained RNs," the researchers report. The study blamed the economic downturn for the decline.

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100114/FREE/100119919

"Roughly 100,000 of the 243,000 nurses who joined the work force recently are over the age of 50. That leads Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Peter Buerhaus, a nationally recognized nursing work force authority, to believe many nurses returned from retirement or semi-retirement to help support their families.

By and large, hospitals were the destination of choice. Buerhaus expects nurses were drawn to the generally more favorable hours and benefits of hospitals compared with home health care, nursing homes and other settings. And they’ve all but swallowed up hospitals’ open positions.

“You have to look hard to find spots where people still report nursing shortages,” he said.

At HCA’s TriStar Health System, turnover and vacancy rates are at historical lows, around 10 percent and below 5 percent, respectively, according to human resources Vice President Mike Cassity.

Nursing employment nationwide surged by an estimated 243,000 in 2007 and 2008. Many of those are likely the spouses of the millions who lost their jobs during the recession that began in late ’07. They returned to the profession from lower-paying jobs, traded part-time employment for full-time positions, delayed retirement or returned from it.

The good news is the flood of workers seems to have alleviated the national nursing shortage for hospitals. The bad news is the throngs of new nursing graduates, drawn to the profession by the promise of near-instant employment, are finding it harder to land their first jobs.

Now, some worry the blip in nursing employment may discourage young nurses and would-be nursing students from such a career that would exacerbate a shortage that may return in coming years.

What retirement?

Roughly 100,000 of the 243,000 nurses who joined the work force recently are over the age of 50. That leads Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Peter Buerhaus, a nationally recognized nursing work force authority, to believe many nurses returned from retirement or semi-retirement to help support their families.

“Seventy percent of registered nurses in this country are married,” said Buerhaus, who’s authored multiple studies analyzing nursing work force statistics and needs. So when their spouses lost their jobs, or worried they might, those RNs hit the job market, he said.

By and large, hospitals were the destination of choice. Buerhaus expects nurses were drawn to the generally more favorable hours and benefits of hospitals compared with home health care, nursing homes and other settings. And they’ve all but swallowed up hospitals’ open positions.

“You have to look hard to find spots where people still report nursing shortages,” he said.

In Tennessee, the overall vacancy rate for RNs in hospitals was 5.2 percent in 2008, down from 7.1 percent in 2007, said Chris Clarke of the Tennessee Hospital Association. That’s despite steady annual growth in the total number of nursing positions.

No vacancy

At HCA’s TriStar Health System, turnover and vacancy rates are at historical lows, around 10 percent and below 5 percent, respectively, according to human resources Vice President Mike Cassity.

Linda Irvin, human resources recruitment manager for Saint Thomas Health Services, said the hospital system continues to add nursing positions as service lines expand, but that there “certainly are more people staying” in nursing and other hospital roles.

“With the economy, most people took a hit with their investments, their portfolios, and they’re staying put to try and recoup,” she said.

By staying put, unfortunately, those nurses have created something of a roadblock for new nursing graduates trying to secure their first jobs — students who were led to believe, through programs like Johnson & Johnson’s “Campaign for Nursing’s Future,” that the need for nurses was so dire they’d have employers lining up to hire them.

“They went in thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, jobs forever,’ and now they can’t get them,” Buerhaus said.

Lois Wagner, executive director of the Tennessee Center for Nursing, said people across the state are saying hospitals have fewer open positions available for new graduates, and those nurses are having difficulty finding work.

Others, however, say there are still nursing jobs available.

“There’s still a huge need for nurses,” argued Sharon Adkins, executive director of the Tennessee Nurses Association. The nursing home and home health industries, for example, still need RNs. “New graduates aren’t probably going to get their first job, the ideal job. They’re probably going to have to look a little harder to find something initially,” she said.

But Chris Algren, dean of Belmont University’s School of Nursing, said home health and nursing home employers often hire only experienced nurses, so it’s not been easy for her graduates to find jobs in any setting.

“Normally I have 100 percent placement of my graduates by six or eight weeks before they graduate. In the past, they have all had jobs,” Algren said. By April, though, it was clear would not be the case for May’s graduating class; come graduation day, less than 60-70 percent had jobs. The rest had “great deals of difficulty” finding one — Adkins’ last May graduate found a job just a few weeks ago.

http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/tough-economy-creates-nurse-overload

"“There’s been a lot of publicity about nursing as a good career choice," said Sandra Angell, associate dean for student affairs at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. “Up until January, until the entire economy went sour, jobs were very plentiful in nursing."

Throughout the economic growth of the past two decades, the demand for nurses continually increased. From 2002 to 2003 and again from 2007 to 2008, the number of nursing jobs mushroomed, according to a July study published in the policy journal Health Affairs. Estimates suggest those booms alone added more than 400,000 nurses to the workforce.

Now, nurses have a decidedly more difficult search ahead of them. According to the study, the number of unemployed nurses will continue to rise into 2010. Wages also will remain flat since it will take fewer incentives to recruit nurses desperate for jobs.

http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/August/28/medill-nurses.aspx

The alarm about the current nursing shortage has been sounding for more than a year, and continues to get louder and more urgent. In an industry that considers a 10 percent national vacancy rate to be a severe shortage, the current US national average for vacant registered nurse (RN) positions stands at 11 percent. In New Jersey, USA, it is 13 percent.

http://www.ihi.org/IHI/Topics/Improvement/ImprovementMethods/ImprovementStories/No+Nursing+Shortage+Here.htm

Edited July 24, 2010 by alienlovechild

[Autumnchik 6]

To the OP, it definitely can be done. My husband is in his 40's and is currently in school for nursing (he was a carpenter).

[Atencio 43]

I made the distinction between new RN grads and those with experience and your only reference you quote is my shoddy source. I'm not disputing the long-term need for nurses.

OK, whatever. Of course you did not phrase it that way initially. You said, don't believe the hype about a nursing shortage- it doesn't exist now and hasn't for the last couple of years. But seeing as how every single article you just presented all say it is a temporary blip I guess you do have to backtrack a little.

It's clear you haven't looked for a nursing job w/o experience recently and don't know much beyond job forecasts.

I am a nurse. I hire nurses. I work at a hospital that has a School of Nursing. You have a wife that hasn't been able to find a job. Yes we have equal experience in this matter.

I see other members here on Visa Journey who's wifes found jobs. Even by most of your references 60% of new Grads found jobs right away.

Your reference:

http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/August/28/medill-nurses.aspx

“[students] had to be more proactive and cast a wider net,” Angell said. “They are finding positions but it’s taking a little longer for some of them and there are parts of the country that are tight for employment.”

http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/tough-economy-creates-nurse-overload

Others, however, say there are still nursing jobs available.

“There’s still a huge need for nurses,” argued Sharon Adkins, executive director of the Tennessee Nurses Association. The nursing home and home health industries, for example, still need RNs. “New graduates aren’t probably going to get their first job, the ideal job. They’re probably going to have to look a little harder to find something initially,” she said.

[i"Normally I have 100 percent placement of my graduates by six or eight weeks before they graduate. In the past, they have all had jobs,” Algren said. By April, though, it was clear would not be the case for May’s graduating class; come graduation day, less than 60-70 percent had jobs. The rest had “great deals of difficulty” finding one — Adkins’ last May graduate found a job just a few weeks ago."[/i]

So roughly 2/3’s found jobs after graduation. But they all found jobs did they not eventually?

But for all our discussion, what really matters is the topic.

The OP's question was career change at 32. It will take him/her a good two years + years to finish nursing school. So really long term trends is what should be looked at. As I said earlier nursing has always had periods of temporary slow hiring. This is nothing new. I remember how tight it was in the early 80's. The choice in a career should be looking toward the long term need of that position. Nursing is one of the professions that fits that criteria.

http://nursing.advanceweb.com/Article/Nursing-Job-Shortage.aspx

Krozek said the "temporary blip" in the nursing market is likely to be resolved within the next 12-18 months, and it's normal to see workforce migration in times like this.

[slim 1,525]

You do realize that 20 years is longer than July, right? There's big difference between demand for experienced RNs and new grads. My wife will take part-time, graveyard shift, weekends. . . doesn't matter.

I do, but what you're attempting is to support your argument with claims of new grads not being able to find jobs... two months after graduation. That hardly proves there's a job shortage, or even one for new grads.

There may be a shortage in your particular area and that's why your wife can't find work. I suggest moving to Cincinnati. She'd be able to find work pretty quickly, even during this "shortage" of jobs.

Edited July 25, 2010 by slim

[DEDixon 39]

Poverty does not lend itself well to happiness, unless you are a yogi, nun or other religious type. However, once you are reasonably comfortable more money does not guarantees more happiness, in fact the pursuit of money at the expense of all else is inversely proportional to happiness.

exactly!

[alienlovechild 75]

OK, whatever. Of course you did not phrase it that way initially. You said, don't believe the hype about a nursing shortage- it doesn't exist now and hasn't for the last couple of years. But seeing as how every single article you just presented all say it is a temporary blip I guess you do have to backtrack a little.

I am a nurse. I hire nurses. I work at a hospital that has a School of Nursing. You have a wife that hasn't been able to find a job. Yes we have equal experience in this matter.

Even by most of your references 60% of new Grads found jobs right away.

Backtrack? I think I clarified it in my first post and you never came up with anything beyond only looking at the sunny side of the job situation.

Post #23

Don't konw about all medical jobs and two year degree or less might help retrain people but but don't believe the hype about a nursing shortage- it doesn't exist now and hasn't for the last couple of years. New RN grads are finding out there are plenty of more experienced nurses competing for the same jobs.

So you're saying you make hiring decisions and couldn't up with any numbers on the number of applications you received, number of new grada hired, and didn't acknowledge there is a job shortage for new grads until your post #38 after I had to tell you about what's going on in most of the country. The blip in unemployment is going to last for the rest of the year.

"The majority of hospitals [across the country] have no space for new grads," he said. "A few can take a few, but no one can accommodate a whole class. In the past, new grads found programs at nearly every hospital, but this year, only a few are still running. We probably won't see this open up for another year or so."

Now, nurses have a decidedly more difficult search ahead of them. According to the study, the number of unemployed nurses will continue to rise into 2010. Wages also will remain flat since it will take fewer incentives to recruit nurses desperate for jobs.

BTW, I don't think any source said the 40% of grad who couldn't find RN jobs quickly actually landed RN jobs. Some probably had to accept other jobs to pay off student loans or other expenses.

Edited July 26, 2010 by alienlovechild

[alienlovechild 75]

There may be a shortage in your particular area and that's why your wife can't find work. I suggest moving to Cincinnati. She'd be able to find work pretty quickly, even during this "shortage" of jobs.

That would be a bad idea for me as I'd have to quit my job which has a worse outlook than nursing. I appreciate the advice but it's not practical in our case.

My wife actually suggested getting job as a waitress or something of that sort but I told that's not going to work with around 10% unemployment and it wouldn't make enough enough to offset daycare costs.