Salary Question.. RNs and PAs/NPs

[Salamandrina]

Part of what created the "shortage" in the first place was nurse burnout. Many nurses left the field voluntarily. So when unemployment rose, many of them returned to nursing pushing out a lot of the new grads. The dean of my nursing school is actually writing letters to local hospitals begging them to give new grads interviews.

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[wabisabi]

Part of what created the "shortage" in the first place was nurse burnout. Many nurses left the field voluntarily. So when unemployment rose, many of them returned to nursing pushing out a lot of the new grads. The dean of my nursing school is actually writing letters to local hospitals begging them to give new grads interviews.

Thank your dean for me. Now if only all deans would do that. Its frustrating when your own school's hospitals won't give their students a chance.

 

[adayatatime]

Thank your dean for me. Now if only all deans would do that. Its frustrating when your own school's hospitals won't give their students a chance.

I really don't know how much good that would do. Our ICU nursing manager says that it takes 30-40K to train a new grad. Sounds a bit inflated to me, but this is the answer you'll get when the dean starts pleading. If you're changing careers, keep that day job for now. Heck, find a way to do both jobs until you're really sure the hospital will keep you (and there are definitely no guarantees here regardless of your years of service).

 

[fab4fan]

A lot of people are saying that the RN job outlook will spike again in the next 2-3 years after it slowed down for the past two years.

What do you guys think of this?

I think it's BS.

A "huge shortage" has been predicted for over a decade now. What hospitals are doing is making staff work short. Hiring freezes are the norm now. Anyone who has a job is holding onto that job for dear life because of the economy, even nurses who would have retired by now.

If you're looking for a guaranteed job with security and good income and benefits, I wouldn't recommend nursing. Places I would never think would lay off staff have done exactly that. No one is safe.

 

[fab4fan]

My last semester's tuition was $11,000 in 2004, (yes private). However, due to scholarships, grants, etc., the tuition wasn't really debilitating after all. Private colleges aren't necessarily out of reach just because of tuition.

Ehm, my tuition was like $900 a year. That was back when people wrote on stone tablets, though.

 

[Paseo Del Norte]

I paid about $700.00 a semester when I went through nursing school.

 

[fab4fan]

I paid about $700.00 a semester when I went through nursing school.

Let me guess: you used smoke signals to communicate?

 

[Paseo Del Norte]

Let me guess: you used smoke signals to communicate?

Actually, I have been an RN for about a decade now. I would like to think it was not that long ago. I was in EMS for many years prior to that, but reminiscing on those days will make me feel a bit aged...

 

[fab4fan]

Actually, I have been an RN for about a decade now. I would like to think it was not that long ago. I was in EMS for many years prior to that, but reminiscing on those days will make me feel a bit aged...

Hmmm. I thought you'd been an RN a lot longer. Must have been the EMS experience.

 

[Paseo Del Norte]

Hmmm. I thought you'd been an RN a lot longer. Must have been the EMS experience.

Hehe, my wife makes up for my newness. She graduated nursing school in the mid 80's.