| "There are no jobs out there for us!" "I thought | | | | "experienced RN" that hospitals were crying out |
| nursing was supposed to be such a sure thing for | | | | for. I named all my future positions, where and |
| job-security, but I can't get a job anywhere!" "All | | | | when I wanted them. But that first year, in what |
| the positions are for experienced nurses only...how | | | | amounted to a "glorified nursing home" was not |
| am I supposed to get any experience if no one | | | | what I had EVER imagined for myself. So...have |
| will hire me?" "Nursing shortage? What nursing | | | | you really looked everywhere? |
| shortage? If there's such a shortage, why aren't | | | | 2. I have read more than one nursing student |
| there any jobs?" | | | | posting comments online about how upset they |
| This is a typical lament of the newly-graduated | | | | were that there were "NO JOBS" out there, only |
| nurse, looking for his or her very first job out of | | | | to then read that she is a senior in nursing school |
| school, at least in some parts of the country, and | | | | or a brand new graduate nurse who wants to go |
| in some situations. I believe that some | | | | on to become a nurse anesthetist, and to get into |
| encouragement is needed, as well as some "sage | | | | that program she has to have at least a year of |
| advice." | | | | ER or ICU experience...and "no one will hire me." |
| The job market, in some places, is very tight. | | | | To such students and grads, may I tell you in the |
| While it is disheartening, we need to realize that | | | | kindest way that if any hospital does hire you into |
| this isn't completely new. Nursing, as a profession, | | | | their ER or ICU as a new grad, they are setting |
| has been here before, to a degree. When I first | | | | themselves...and very possibly you..up for a |
| began my career, nurses were being laid off, allied | | | | possible lawsuit because of the dire consequences |
| professions were being cut...this was over 2 | | | | your lack of experience and immature |
| decades ago now. New grads and both current | | | | professional judgements may cause someone? |
| and future nursing students: You're caught in the | | | | I worked 10 years of my career in critical |
| middle of a really weird situation right now. Trust | | | | care...ALL areas of critical care...and new grads |
| me...there is a nursing shortage! And it is going to | | | | simply do not have the knowledge, skill, or |
| get worse. | | | | judgment abilities to work in these areas. Period. |
| The problem seems to be that, like every other | | | | Want to become a Nurse Anesthetist? Then |
| business around, hospitals are having to make the | | | | graduate nursing school, take whatever job you |
| same gut-wrenching budget cuts as everyone | | | | need to to get working as a nurse, so you can |
| else. It's hitting so many areas of nursing right | | | | actually begin to function as a "real" nurse (not |
| now...students, faculty, schools, hospitals...everyone | | | | just a student nurse!) at the bedside, fulltime. |
| is affected by the current economic situation. | | | | Learn. Learn all you can in that first job. Be the |
| Hospitals, whether they're short on nurses or not | | | | best new nurse you can be. |
| at the moment, are dealing with a cash-crisis. A | | | | Get the best peer reviews. Get the best reviews |
| brand new nurse, fresh out of school--no matter | | | | from your Unit Manager. Be the nurse the |
| how many "A's" you got in nursing school, no | | | | patients and their families write letters to the |
| matter how many articles you've written above | | | | hospital directors about (good letters, of course)! |
| and beyond, no matter how many volunteer | | | | Then, at the end of that year, go apply for a job |
| student-work/extra-credit hours you've logged--a | | | | in the ER. Go get a spot in the ICU. Believe me, |
| brand new nurse will take close to a full year to | | | | when you're in there, you'll be starting all over |
| mentor and precept into an independent RN. They | | | | again with the learning curve! But when you're in, |
| will spend tens of thousands of dollars on you, | | | | you're in...now, remember what you did that first |
| above and beyond the salary they pay you, just | | | | year in that first position? Do it again. At the end |
| to get you to the place where you actually "earn" | | | | of that year, go apply for that slot in the Nurse |
| that salary. Don't be offended...the hospital typically | | | | Anesthetist program. Smile...you'll have earned it, |
| knows that you are a great investment! These | | | | because you worked for it. Well worth it! |
| just aren't typical times right now. | | | | Again, few new graduates, whatever their |
| You may not believe it right now, but most of | | | | profession, land their "dream job" fresh out of |
| the skills of nursing are learned after you get out | | | | college. Most new grads expect to start, oh, |
| of school! In school, you are learning the "science" | | | | somewhere near the bottom, and work their way |
| of nursing, the "theory" of nursing. Upon | | | | up, gaining experience, wisdom, and leadership |
| graduation, you will learn how to apply that | | | | skills along the way that will be used in their |
| science and theory in the real world of nursing. | | | | futures. In nursing, we are fortunate...the bottom |
| Your clinical rotations were not the real world. | | | | isn't that far from the top. It doesn't typically take |
| Nursing requires judgment skills; judgment skills | | | | more than a year of doing what you'd rather not |
| are the result of experience backed by the | | | | be doing in order to shoot straight to where you |
| theory and science you learned in school. It just | | | | do want to be. So just get started. |
| takes time. | | | | 2. Let's say you really have looked at every |
| OK, so...what can you do? First, recognize that | | | | hospital, every nursing home, every assisted living |
| you DO have options: | | | | center in your area, and there are NO jobs. You |
| 1. Realize that your first job is just that...it's your | | | | have a decision to make. I tell my own kids this all |
| first job. Few new grads, whether they're nurses, | | | | the time: you can either choose where you want |
| lawyers, engineers, or architects, land their dream | | | | to live, and then work at whatever you like best |
| job right out of school. When you say that there | | | | that is available there, or you can choose what |
| are "no jobs anywhere" in your area, is it really | | | | you'd love to do, and then go wherever you have |
| NO jobs? Or have you limited yourself in any way | | | | to in order to do it. It's just that simple. With a |
| by not considering jobs in, shall we call them, "less | | | | career in nursing, If you wait long enough and are |
| than desirable" specialties? I really disliked my first | | | | willing to do what it takes at first (probably not |
| year of nursing! But you know what? It was only | | | | too long, but be ready for a year or so), you'll |
| my first year. Once it was over, I was the | | | | probably be able to have BOTH. |