primitives discuss job market for registered nurses

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022560488

Oh my.

Alas, neither Ms. Ed, the unappellated eohippus, or Ugly, she with the face like Hindenburg's, shows up.

Auggie (15,903 posts)    Sun Mar 24, 2013, 04:42 PM

Is it bad for Registered Nurses right now?

At a PF Chang's Bistro (San Francisco Bay Area/Fremont) yesterday, our 30-something table server was an out-of-work RN.
 
He's been looking for a job but said "there's no money" right now on the West Coast to hire nurses at his level. I translated that to mean, essentially, that for-profit hospitals are hiring less RNs because it's profitable not to, but I could be wrong. Anyone know why it's so tough for RNs right now?
 
I assume a lot of time and money goes into RN training, and here is this guy working two part-time jobs ... one at a home for the elderly and the other waiting tables. I felt terrible for him.

markiv (42 posts)    Sun Mar 24, 2013, 04:43 PM

1. same thing as tech workers

bluedigger (9,590 posts)    Sun Mar 24, 2013, 04:45 PM

2. Market might be saturated locally.

Around here 3/4 of the jobs are health care, but admittedly I see mostly CNA positions advertised.

Honeycombe8 (17,106 posts)    Sun Mar 24, 2013, 04:49 PM

3. Well, I wouldn't go by what a waiter told you in passing.

There's no telling if he is an RN, and even if he is, that the market is the reason he couldn't get a job.
 
My niece is an RN and immediately got a job at a local hospital in the small city she lives in. I can't imagine there will be problems with that profession in the foreseeable future, esp considering the aging population and the need for non-physicians in the health care field. It also pays really well.
 
Here's a link I found to the 2013 RN job outlook. It has been growing during the recession, looks like, and is continuing to grow, and is the #2 bright job outlook in the U.S.:
 
http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/registered-nurse

(The article says that there is currently 2% unemployment in the nursing field.)

cbayer (119,162 posts)    Sun Mar 24, 2013, 04:51 PM

4. There was a shortage for a long time, but that has apparently eased up.

I think the demand for nurses will skyrocket when the ACA kicks, particularly for those with specializations or advanced degrees.

patricia92243 (7,380 posts)     Sun Mar 24, 2013, 04:53 PM

5. Son is Rn. When he was in SF they closed a whole FLOOR of his hospital (can't remember the name). He couldn't find a job and moved back to Atlanta where he easily got a job.

uppityperson (72,756 posts)    Sun Mar 24, 2013, 04:53 PM

6. If you are certified in a specialty with recent work history, no. Otherwise, yes.

Clinics are hiring med assistants vs RNs as they cost less and are trained to do basic things. Of course they lose a lot of what RNs can do but hey, it costs less. If you don't have recent work experience (less than 6 months out) in the field you are applying for, are over 50 or aren't certified in a specialty, it can be quite hard to get a nursing job.
 
Speaking from experience.

^^^a registered nurse in the state of Washington, but don't use her bathtub unless you have all your shots.

[JohnnyReb]

At a PF Chang's Bistro (San Francisco Bay Area/Fremont) yesterday, our 30-something table server was an out-of-work RN.

San Fransissyco....probably has AIDS and can't pass a drug test.....or more likely, can't pass a drug cabinet without grabbing a handful for himself.

[FlaGator]

My wife is a registered nurse and right now the market for nurses in our neck of the woods is extremely good. She works for a for profit hospital and there have been some cut backs, nurses were exempt for layoffs. In fact that is the area they are doing the most hiring in. If the guy can't get a job then there are other issues at play here.

[NHSparky]

I know a couple of nurses, both here and out-of-state.  If you have your license and haven't killed anyone recently, you're good for $40/hour in a lot of areas, more so if you're a traveling nurse.

[Celtic Rose]

California isn't hiring many new graduate nurses right now, if you want a chance you need to have made connections during nursing school.  However, every new graduate nurse I know of in Nebraska has found a job.  I found a great nursing job up in Washington where they are basically paying me to complete training at the moment. Also, a lot of places aren't hiring nurses with associates degrees as frequently, nurses with bachelors degrees tend to be preferred. Skilled nurses are always in demand.

[GOBUCKS]

There's no such thing as an unemployed registered nurse, even in the 0conomy.

The OP DUmmy is in San Francisco, where RN stands for rectal nutjob.

[longview]

Wyoming's market is saturated and the wages haven't kept pace with those of other industries.  We get too many who wander in thinking they will have multiple offers and it just isn't there.  Some of them didn't plan well and can't afford to leave, so double up, take what they can, and move on when they get a chance.  We have BSNs taking $16 and 18/hr.  They could make more driving a water truck in an oil patch and get their housing included (man camps).  Rent and housing costs here can be high.

It seems to be cyclical.  We used to have a surplus of teachers.  

[franksolich]

Ugly finally butted in.

Warpy (67,709 posts)    Sun Mar 24, 2013, 06:35 PM

13. It depends on the part of the country an RN is in and how willing s/he is to up stakes and move.

Here they're closing beds and reducing staff. The three pages of help wanted ads looking mostly for RNs has been reduced to two columns, and that's on a good day.
 
Cost cutting has always been done on the RN's back and the speedup in the profession has been intense, both by increasing patient load and acuity and by cutting other areas and expecting the RN to do those jobs, too.
 
So yes, nurses are hurting, one way or another. And yes, you will find unemployed nurses in some areas who have had to take any job they can find while they're waiting for the system to become less mean.

For the record, Ugly, who's 61, 62, years old now and not allowed to practice in her profession, is probably describing conditions where she's at, in northwestern New Mexico.

[I_B_Perky]

I know a couple of nurses, both here and out-of-state.  If you have your license and haven't killed anyone recently, you're good for $40/hour in a lot of areas, more so if you're a traveling nurse.

My sister is an ER nurse up in northern WV. Makes big bucks. Gets better bucks cause she likes 7pm-7am and gets even better bucks cause she likes to work on holidays. We talking double and even triple time here for Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year. Last time I talked to her she said she is thinking about being a traveling nurse. She said they make 6 figures if your willing to go into the big cities like Philly, Columbus, Cincy, etc. They pay for your hotel/apartment, pay for your travel, meals, the whole nine yards. Good benefits too. Only thing she doesn't like about it is she would have to be away from her son, who is a soph in HS. She is thinking that once he graduates and goes to college, she will do it.

California isn't hiring many new graduate nurses right now, if you want a chance you need to have made connections during nursing school.  However, every new graduate nurse I know of in Nebraska has found a job.  I found a great nursing job up in Washington where they are basically paying me to complete training at the moment. Also, a lot of places aren't hiring nurses with associates degrees as frequently, nurses with bachelors degrees tend to be preferred. Skilled nurses are always in demand.

Got to go where the job/money is. Apparently Mexifornia ain't it. Wonder why? 

[AprilRazz]

I have 3 facilities fighting over me right now and I haven't even graduated or taken the boards yet.

[Rebel]

You hoped for change. Enjoy the change, bitches.

[GOBUCKS]

We have BSNs taking $16 and 18/hr.  They could make more driving a water truck in an oil patch and get their housing included (man camps).  Rent and housing costs here can be high.

There must be a big difference between a BSN and an RN, like the difference between a BS in Accounting and a CPA.

[Dori]

I hear No. Dakota is starting to boom.  3% unemployment, and even people at Wally World are making $17 hr to start.

(That's what I heard on Faux Noos anyway)