New survey: Nursing shortage 'a myth'

21 posts · started Feb 8, 2013

cougarnurse Feb 8, 2013, 8:23 PM
Just reporting: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/nursing-shortage-myth-survey-suggests-204600034.html;_ylt=A2KJ3Cc1XhVR9BUAXTXQtDMD

62% of newly graduated nurses will have trouble finding jobs in the next year, according to a survey conducted by Nursing Degree.org, a leading nursing education and career portal. The study surveyed Registered Nurses who had graduated in the last two years. Most of the students surveyed indicated that they had trouble finding a full time job in their field, or were not working in the field of nursing at all, despite their qualifications.
"The so called Nursing Shortage is really a myth", said Cathy Miller, Director of Education for Nursing Degree.org. "The idea that we as a country are experiencing a drastic shortage in Nurses is not really correct. Most nursing jobs now specifically state they are not interested in non-experienced nurses."

Recent studies and surveys have suggested that with the rising age of baby boomers, there will be a rise in demand for nurses and other health professionals. According to Miller, however, the data doesn't take into account technological advances and a shift in medical care.

"Between the Affordable Care Act and the advancement in health technology, the number of nurses on per person will only continue to decline, not rise. That's why these new nurses are having such a hard time with their careers – there really isn't any demand", added Miller.

The new information in this study contradicts information from the US government Bureau of Labor and Statistics. According to the BLS Employment Projections 2010-2020 released in February 2012, the Registered Nursing workforce is the top occupation in terms of job growth through 2020. It is expected that the number of employed nurses will grow from 2.74 million in 2010 to 3.45 million in 2020, an increase of 712,000 or 26%. The projections further explain the need for 495,500 replacements in the nursing workforce bringing the total number of job opening for nurses due to growth and replacements to 1.2 million by 2020

Media Contact:
Cathy Miller Nursing Degree.org, 6777547754, cathy_miller@nursingdegree.org
News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com
chicagonurse89 Feb 12, 2013, 1:48 AM
Every one who plans to pursue a nursing career should be inform about this "myth" so they will know what to expect after graduation and even passing the boards,that they will have preparations in finding a nursing job is not that easy!
cougarnurse Feb 12, 2013, 4:16 AM
atlnurse477 wrote:There are two opposing information...which one is correct??
I can tell ya that my area is suffering a glut of nurses.
Ricu Feb 12, 2013, 12:37 PM
I think the nursing shortage is relative, a supply versus demand issue of economics just like the oil shortage was. Only this one will be killing people soon.
cougarnurse Feb 12, 2013, 4:18 PM
Well, Amy, I can say for sure no one is hiring out here. unless you're into the high stressed ICU/CCU/ER bit. And even then, the turnover is still high. Yet....local schools are chrning the grads out like mad. One of the girls who worked at a local bank graduated last May, and she's been told: No experience? Tough luck. Yet, how do you get experience if one doesn't get hired?
cougarnurse Feb 12, 2013, 4:20 PM
Well, Amy, I can say for sure no one is hiring out here. unless you're into the high stressed ICU/CCU/ER bit. And even then, the turnover is still high. Yet....local schools are chrning the grads out like mad. One of the girls who worked at a local bank graduated last May, and she's been told: No experience? Tough luck. Yet, how do you get experience if one doesn't get hired?

Oh, and I am sure that schools keep track of who gets hired.....
Ricu Feb 13, 2013, 12:47 PM
Amy, the "myth" is in the eye of the beholder and like any national concern, there is a glut of information circulating about speculating on causes and outcomes. As a trained nursing professional, you know how to evaluate the information for reliability. Looking critically, you will discern motives behind position statements like, "Nursing Shortage is a Myth." These are trying times for nurses and the job market is currently a fight for survival and the fittest will win. Persistence will pay off for those new grads however they will have to work in nursing homes, rehab centers, detention centers, night shift, start as per diem and so on.

R
LorrieKueffer Feb 13, 2013, 12:57 PM
I used to feel comfortable telling people who were asking about becoming a nurse, it's a great profession b/c you will always have the job of your choice. That is not the case anymore. I have a friend, who as a single mom in her 30's, went back to school to become an RN. I felt terrible when she could not get a job for 9 months once she graduated. Then when she did finally land a job, she was so stressed out about the high level of acuity of her patients, it was a nursing pool in a large hospital, and she was having to be trained in multiple specialties. To top that off, she was making far less money as a new grad nurse, than she had been waiting tables in an upscale restaurant, and now has tons of school debt. Very different than when I became a nurse 20 plus years ago.
However I'm one of the nurses that has left nursing and pursued my own thing. I'm much happier. I just don't know if I can honestly tell young people to pursue a nursing degree anymore. Which is sort of sad!
hppygr8ful Feb 13, 2013, 2:07 PM
The dynamics of the nursing shortage have changed and have followed economic trends. Just as the LVN was almost eliminated from acute practice so to are undergraduate RN's on their way out. One of the major problems is that health care reform which does not recognize the undergrad RN as a valued piece of the puzzle. IF you have the intestinal fortitude to take on grad school go after your advanced practice RN. The deep cuts in reimbursement that hospitals and doctors will have to accept over the next few years will mean tha hospital's have less money for training new grads. IF you are young enough I would suggest military service as a nurse at least you would get your experience in and come out a well seasoned nurse.

Hppy
Ricu Feb 15, 2013, 2:48 AM
hppygr8ful wrote:The dynamics of the nursing shortage have changed and have followed economic trends. Just as the LVN was almost eliminated from acute practice so to are undergraduate RN's on their way out. One of the major problems is that health care reform which does not recognize the undergrad RN as a valued piece of the puzzle. IF you have the intestinal fortitude to take on grad school go after your advanced practice RN. The deep cuts in reimbursement that hospitals and doctors will have to accept over the next few years will mean tha hospital's have less money for training new grads. IF you are young enough I would suggest military service as a nurse at least you would get your experience in and come out a well seasoned nurse.

Hppy

Interesting points. Money is definitely the biggest motivating piece of the health care reform puzzle but I fear that actual care-related dollars will throw of all of the pie charts being used to forecast future health care costs. The office bound bean counters cannot factor in the living and ever changing bedside component which includes the "cost center related, nurse-based care."
Newly licensed nurses would definitely get broad-based experience through military service.
Chris B. Mar 16, 2013, 5:54 PM
I've notice in aprts of the country that have quite a few nursing school programs and a high number of new grads, jobs are hard to come by for new grads. However, if you are willing to relocate to other parts of the country, new grads can find a job.
117orion Mar 18, 2013, 6:02 AM
There are several things that have to be factored in to this equasion people.
One thing I have noticed is = The older, "experienced" Nurses (in my town) that are at or near retirment age are pulling the ultimate slam on new grads.
They "RETIRE" only to return to work the very next day (on perdium) at the same job, in the same department, same position, same everything.
Only "NOW" they are retired, their "BASE" income is secure and can't be threatened if they mess up royaly resulting in terminatiion, some are even drawing social security.
NOT ONLY does this take a job away from a new grad, it adds to the rise in healthcare costs.
Who could blame the retirees though???? with a chance to almost double your take home pay????
We do have a serious problem.
What to do about it is a mystery.
I know several Grads who were never able to find work and left the profession without ever even cashing one paycheck.
They do however still have the student loans to pay back.
Sad, but true. SIGH..........
Ricu Mar 21, 2013, 11:56 AM
Orion,

Sadly, I agree with your somewhat dismal forecast. Many of the new grad nurses where I am (that I know) have gotten positions but not all of them and they waited a painfully long time, some almost a year. What I will say is that the most persistent ones got those jobs. It is sad to think that as those old nurses do retire, the replacement workforce will be no bigger because the "theoretically flooded" market isn't sitting around waiting, they're getting jobs doing whatever they can even if it's going back for a different degree. They won't be out there to jump on that "too late in coming" nursing job. Ah well, it will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

R
117orion wrote:There are several things that have to be factored in to this equasion people.
One thing I have noticed is = The older, "experienced" Nurses (in my town) that are at or near retirment age are pulling the ultimate slam on new grads.
They "RETIRE" only to return to work the very next day (on perdium) at the same job, in the same department, same position, same everything.
Only "NOW" they are retired, their "BASE" income is secure and can't be threatened if they mess up royaly resulting in terminatiion, some are even drawing social security.
NOT ONLY does this take a job away from a new grad, it adds to the rise in healthcare costs.
Who could blame the retirees though???? with a chance to almost double your take home pay????
We do have a serious problem.
What to do about it is a mystery.
I know several Grads who were never able to find work and left the profession without ever even cashing one paycheck.
They do however still have the student loans to pay back.
Sad, but true. SIGH..........
117orion Mar 21, 2013, 9:38 PM
WOW, it only took them a year to find work?????
I know people who have been doing volunteer work at a free clinic for the homeless and those who can't afford health insurance (to keep their skills up,)
Paying state fees to maintain their licenses, buying supplies and driving long distances to help out at these clinics
while working other jobs to boot for over three years
AND they spend 10 to 20 hours a week looking for a job in nursing.
Still; for some reason, they can not find work in health care.
One of my friends was working as a CNA and is now unemployed because she got her Nursing degree.
This is not how things are saposed to be happening; yet, here we are.
This is an interesting discussion. Somehow this is really a cycle that is being experienced by the nursing profession.


I agree with your cyclic hypothasis Amygarside.

Our fearless leaders in washington have made things worse by dropping reembursment payments by 25% and of course the insurance companies are all jumping on the band wagon with the government, this in turn is costing even more jobs to be cut in turn driving more and more people to the poor house, putting an even greater strain on the system as a whole requiring those who do have jobs to work longer hours for even less pay.....................................
Do we see where this is going folks?
Someone in government has to see this isn't working.
If at first you try something and it blows up in your face........................
I for one would not try that something again. EVER.
hppygr8ful Mar 22, 2013, 12:57 PM
Don"t even get me started on how the Government and current administration have truely hurt the American people and economy........All I can say at this point is "Elections have consequences" Go pick up a copy of George Owell's Animal Farm and read it with open eyes...............

Peace

Hppy
shalom1988 May 2, 2013, 1:52 AM
As far as who is "responsible" for it, I guess I do not know what you mean. Every individual is responsible for their own future, well being and life outcomes. If someone didn't do their research before embarking on this journey, that impetus is on them, not the media, who loves to report on this. One does not have to look very far to see how many new grads are going without jobs.

The best we can do is re-educate people. For me, that is on a person to person level when the subject comes up. I have no interest in staging a protest.
Ricu Jul 31, 2013, 11:21 PM
Well, I'm not too sure what Shalom1988 is really saying about the future of nursing jobs, but nurseamyg, I get your thoughts. My elevator speech on the matter is this; the BSN has become the entry level training for most acute care facilities, experience or not. For at least the past 5 years, I have been recommending this education pathway to both newcomers as well as nurses who plan to remain in the workforce for at least the next 10 years. Otherwise, you may find yourselves jobless or with an ultimatum to get a BSN or get out. Best to be proactive...

R