Nursing shortage my ass!

OK, I am starting to get seriously pissed.

As you all know, last year at this time I started a one year accelerated nursing program. I graduated with my Bachelors last December. I am still waiting for the state to get everything together so that I can sit for my boards. In the meantime I am looking for a job.

And right now it appears that there ain’t none. Between all the nurses who are going back to work now that their auto working spouses are unemployed, the nurses who have put off retirement and the hospitals that are closing units and facilities I (and most of my classmates) am getting screwed.

I understand this is the worst economy we’ve seen in something like four generations, but COME ON! I haven’t had a single interview, let alone a job offer. On Tuesday I sent out four applications for jobs and got four rejections inside of 18hours. The first one only took 2.5 hours.

Are you freaking kidding me?

I thought I had a shot at an ER job at a local hospital and had talked with the unit manager and the hiring nurse on the phone. I had met the manager a year ago and he told me to call when I graduated. I did and when I hooked up with the hiring manager she was very positive and told me she had some openings and would bring me down for an interview once she had all her internal stuff taken care of.

Two weeks later she tells me that the hospital system is closing another hospital across town and they are going to try and fill all their open spots with the 200 or so displaced nurses.

Another area hospital is willing to talk to me, but they don’t have anything open full time. But they will call me when they do. I’m holding my breath.

And I have another connection with a hospital close to home. My best friend works with the husband of the head nurse recruiter there. He’s passed along my resume, and I’ve spoken to her too. But she wants to wait until I have my license to talk to me about a job.

The hospital where I did most of my training hasn’t called me for a single thing, try as I might.

I can’t do home care or go to a nursing home because I don’t have a license. Right now hospitals are my only option.

Most, if not all of the jobs I’ve seen posted require experienced nurses. It’s a buyer’s market out there. Experienced nurses are a dime a dozen and recruiters who were killing themselves to get warm bodies 18 months ago are now buried under piles of resumes.

The next person I hear tell me that everyone needs nurses and it’s a recession proof job is getting their teeth bent.

Sooner or later I will probably find a job, but right now it’s tight.

And for the record, I am a vindictive bastard. These places that won’t give me the time of day will, someday, be back to begging for RNs.

They will want me. I will remind them of this time. And if they kiss my ass enough I just might talk with them. But before I go to work there someone is going to write me one hell of an obscenely large check.

So, to all you hospitals and hospital recruiters out there, mark my words.

I will remember this. I will remind my nurse friends when the time comes.

It’s going to cost you in the long run. It’s going to cost you like you can’t imagine.

And I’ll be there.

Laughing.