“There are no jobs out there for us!” “I thought nursing was supposed to be such a sure thing for job-security, but I can’t get a job anywhere!” “All the positions are for experienced nurses only…how am I supposed to get any experience if no one will hire me?” “Nursing shortage? What nursing shortage? If there’s such a shortage, why aren’t there any jobs?”

This is a typical lament of the newly-graduated nurse, looking for his or her very first job out of school, at least in some parts of the country, and in some situations. I believe that some encouragement is needed, as well as some “sage advice.”

The job market, in some places, is very tight. While it is disheartening, we need to realize that this isn’t completely new. Nursing, as a profession, has been here before, to a degree. When I first began my career, nurses were being laid off, allied professions were being cut…this was over 2 decades ago now. New grads and both current and future nursing students: You’re caught in the middle of a really weird situation right now. Trust me…there is a nursing shortage! And it is going to get worse.

The problem seems to be that, like every other business around, hospitals are having to make the same gut-wrenching budget cuts as everyone else. It’s hitting so many areas of nursing right now…students, faculty, schools, hospitals…everyone is affected by the current economic situation. Hospitals, whether they’re short on nurses or not at the moment, are dealing with a cash-crisis. A brand new nurse, fresh out of school–no matter how many “A’s” you got in nursing school, no matter how many articles you’ve written above and beyond, no matter how many volunteer/student-work/extra-credit hours you’ve logged–a brand new nurse will take close to a full year to mentor and precept into an independent RN. They will spend tens of thousands of dollars on you, above and beyond the salary they pay you, just to get you to the place where you actually “earn” that salary. Don’t be offended…the hospital typically knows that you are a great investment! These just aren’t typical times right now.

You may not believe it right now, but most of the skills of nursing are learned after you get out of school! In school, you are learning the “science” of nursing, the “theory” of nursing. Upon graduation, you will learn how to apply that science and theory in the real world of nursing. Your clinical rotations were not the real world. Nursing requires judgment skills; judgment skills are the result of experience backed by the theory and science you learned in school. It just takes time.

OK, so…what can you do? First, recognize that you DO have options:

1. Realize that your first job is just that…it’s your first job. Few new grads, whether they’re nurses, lawyers, engineers, or architects, land their dream job right out of school. When you say that there are “no jobs anywhere” in your area, is it really NO jobs? Or have you limited yourself in any way by not considering jobs in, shall we call them, “less than desirable” specialties? I really disliked my first year of nursing! But you know what? It was only my first year. Once it was over, I was the “experienced RN” that hospitals were crying out for. I named all my future positions, where and when I wanted them. But that first year, in what amounted to a “glorified nursing home” was not what I had EVER imagined for myself. So…have you really looked everywhere?

2. I have read more than one nursing student posting comments online about how upset they were that there were “NO JOBS” out there, only to then read that she is a senior in nursing school or a brand new graduate nurse who wants to go on to become a nurse anesthetist, and to get into that program she has to have at least a year of ER or ICU experience…and “no one will hire me.” To such students and grads, may I tell you in the kindest way that if any hospital does hire you into their ER or ICU as a new grad, they are setting themselves…and very possibly you..up for a possible lawsuit because of the dire consequences your lack of experience and immature professional judgements may cause someone?

I worked 10 years of my career in critical care…ALL areas of critical care…and new grads simply do not have the knowledge, skill, or judgment abilities to work in these areas. Period. Want to become a Nurse Anesthetist? Then graduate nursing school, take whatever job you need to to get working as a nurse, so you can actually begin to function as a “real” nurse (not just a student nurse!) at the bedside, fulltime. Learn. Learn all you can in that first job. Be the best new nurse you can be.

Get the best peer reviews. Get the best reviews from your Unit Manager. Be the nurse the patients and their families write letters to the hospital directors about (good letters, of course)! Then, at the end of that year, go apply for a job in the ER. Go get a spot in the ICU. Believe me, when you’re in there, you’ll be starting all over again with the learning curve! But when you’re in, you’re in…now, remember what you did that first year in that first position? Do it again. At the end of that year, go apply for that slot in the Nurse Anesthetist program. Smile…you’ll have earned it, because you worked for it. Well worth it!

Again, few new graduates, whatever their profession, land their “dream job” fresh out of college. Most new grads expect to start, oh, somewhere near the bottom, and work their way up, gaining experience, wisdom, and leadership skills along the way that will be used in their futures. In nursing, we are fortunate…the bottom isn’t that far from the top. It doesn’t typically take more than a year of doing what you’d rather not be doing in order to shoot straight to where you do want to be. So just get started.

2. Let’s say you really have looked at every hospital, every nursing home, every assisted living center in your area, and there are NO jobs. You have a decision to make. I tell my own kids this all the time: you can either choose where you want to live, and then work at whatever you like best that is available there, or you can choose what you’d love to do, and then go wherever you have to in order to do it. It’s just that simple. With a career in nursing, If you wait long enough and are willing to do what it takes at first (probably not too long, but be ready for a year or so), you’ll probably be able to have BOTH.

Jobs ARE out there. Go where they are, get your feet wet and become the experienced, independent RN everyone’s looking for! Do what it takes! It’s WORTH IT!

Located in Lubbock, Texas, the Covenant Health System member Covenant School of Nursing (CSN), formerly called the Methodist Hospital School of Nursing, is the oldest school of registered nursing on the South Plains, a Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas and NLNAC-accredited diploma program that prepares nursing students for licensure as qualified registered nursing graduates.

The Covenant School of Nursing program provides their students with meaningful training experiences in the classroom, lab, as well as in the formal clinical setting. The nursing school is dedicated in offering a full-time 76-week hospital-based diploma-nursing program that prepares their students for licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) after completing 9specific prerequisite college courses, as well as giving 12-month Advanced Credit program to Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) for opportunities to complete their registered nursing education. This Advanced Credit program for LVN/LPN’s 12-month curriculum consists of 100-hours, a summer part-time Transition Course (classroom and laboratory experiences summarizing Level-1 course topics) followed by 38weeks of Level-II courses.

The Covenant School of Nursing is devoted in placing their curriculum in a supportive learning environment that makes nursing school a positive and nurturing experience that is also fun for the students. The registered nursing program consists of classroom, clinical skills labs, plus clinical field experiences at some 20different healthcare facilities in the Texas Lubbock area. Through the clinical field-work, the students are able to deal directly with patients hence developing their “hands-on” skills after only 2-months training and 2-days+ weekly exposure in clinical settings for 2-years.

Nurses aspiring for admission to the courses mentioned will find that the Covenant School of Nursing is an Equal-Access/Equal-Opportunity School that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, or disability, while also offering financial assistance such as Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Stafford and Federal PLUS loan programs, Covenant Health System’s HealthTraxx, as well as other aids including Scholarships (available during the second half of the student’s junior year), Discounted meals for the hospital cafeteria, the Possibility of part-time work, and Limited healthcare services for the deserving CSN students.

Nursing students must be able to attend, fully participate, and successfully complete all classroom, lab and clinical components of each of the required RN nursing courses in order to graduate from Covenant School of Nursing. The CSN graduates then become fully-eligible to apply for the National Council Licensure Examination-RN (NCLEX-RN). Then one year after graduation, the graduates and their employers are surveyed and evaluated to indicate the high degree of graduate-and-employer satisfaction with the CSN graduate’s ability to meet objectives and perform as a proficient nurse in the workplace.

Many people are choosing to have nurses that make house calls, this is convenient for individuals who are limited to travel, and need household, and home care in the convenience of their own home. Besides being an advantage for the patients who are in need of care giving in the comfort of their home, this sub-field of nursing is of great benefit to the nurses who choose it because they can make their own schedules and not deal with the stuffiness or the monotony of being tied down to one environment or facility.

The pay of home care nursing is just as great as any other nursing job that is required in facilities. It is comparable, and often enough a nurse is accommodated, and compensated for the wear and tear on the vehicle utilized to travel to the places of need. Most companies pay mileage, and this is usually included separately in your weekly paycheck. However, it is crucial to keep track of all pertinent receipts so that you can claim the right amount. It is also a great tax write off to utilize to save your tax expenditures.

When a nurse works in convenience of her own schedules, it can greatly be an advantage to the many hard working moms that are out there attempting to make a living, and struggling with the long- hard hours that other nursing jobs might have. This is of benefit, because most nursing jobs require long 12-hour nightly shifts, can cost you your sleep, and precious time with your family. In this aspect you can usually choose the shifts that you accept according to your needs, and life requirements.

The other great advantage of choosing to take care of people at home is that it can personalize their experience, and yours. You can acquire quite a great reputation with the person that you are caring for without the hassles of interference that can be quite common in a hospital or doctors office. You can help them by knowing their habits, and assuring them that they get personalized and optimum care by you. It pretty much puts you in charge of their care. This omits the other hindrances that can be a result of others carelessness in medical terms.

You have the opportunity to break away from the monotony of nursing with the complex facilities, and you should really take part in helping people in their homes. There is such a great demand for nursing caregivers. You can make a grave difference to them, and assist some people who are saddened by the fact that they can no longer take care of themselves.

If you are looking for a financially rewarding and meaningful career, the nursing profession can offer you that. An education from a vocational nursing school is a good first step towards a nursing career. You can get an associate degree in nursing or become a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) by attending a vocational nursing school.

According to the American Nurses Association, Licensed Vocational Nurses receive an average salary of about $35,000. Not only will you be building personal financial stability but also, more importantly, you will be holding a job where you are able to touch the lives of people every day.

At present, there is a shortage of qualified vocational nurses in the country and reports estimate this shortage can triple in the next coming years so attend a vocational nursing school would be a smart decision. Many opportunities are waiting for you in different healthcare organizations nationwide and overseas after you graduate from vocational nursing school.

Usually, such programs have three-semester up to four-semester coursework. Some offer programs that accelerate the period of study wherein students are able to complete their education in less than 12 months.

While the length of study is major consideration for some students, what should be a more important factor to consider is the quality of education offered by your chosen nursing school. Quality education will make all the difference in whether you will be able to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses or NCLEX-PN.

Therefore, you should choose your school carefully. Make sure your school is state-approved and has received the proper accreditation to provide a vocational nursing program. Do your research and learn about the school, its programs, curriculum, pass rate, environment, student life and etcetera.

A good school offers a program where students have the opportunity to learn various technical skill sets in patient care such as taking vital signs, assessment and reporting of symptoms, administering treatment, and other practical nursing skills. The students also learn how to communicate and interact with patients effectively. Ultimately, a vocational nursing school prepares the student to be able to meet requirements for licensure.

Tuition in a vocational school varies from one school to the other but student financial aid is available through state funds, scholarships, grants and other forms of financial aid. Contact your local vocational nursing school to find out about their financial assistance programs.

Always remember to consider the right job which interests you depending on your educational qualifications. It is suggested that you choose a career that is related to your skills and education. If you have a nursing degree, then work either in hospital, clinic or child care center, nursing home, school, or work as private nurse. If you decided that nursing is your career, you can work in different units such as paediatrics, maternity or medical-surgical. This is called a transitional opportunity.

The nursing profession had opened the doors for nursing jobs internationally. And this is the best option if you want to improve your career path. Unquestionably, United States is one of those countries that support this profession.

Different websites which provide information on international job opportunities for nurses are available. The jobs presented in the websites are arranged per region, position, and type. Some of the versatile positions offered for nurses, which are given with competitive pay are: licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners, emergency room nurses, intensive care nurses, labor and delivery nurses, telemetry registered nurses, critical care registered nurses, operating room nurses, maternal child service nurses, acute care registered nurses, home care registered nurses, and cardiac rehab registered nurses.

The recruiters in major cities play an important part in recruiting nurses for the developing countries. They give details on different positions available and they also help the graduates to find jobs abroad with positions that are offered with good compensation packages. Part of the role of the recruiters is to advise the candidates concerning their housing, banking, and other necessities that are relevant in getting international nursing jobs. There are some websites which provide courses online to help them secure jobs locally and internationally.

There are some nursing agencies that specialize in giving opportunities to have nursing jobs internationally. Some of the opportunities are exceptional nursing assignments, free accommodation, and good compensation package. They also extend their support to some experienced professionals, who still need guidance in their field.

In selecting an international posting, be sure that you have a strong grasp of the language because this is very crucial. Other important requirements are your license as nurse, valid passport, and your knowledge and experience in that country.

In case you get a nursing job in America, you can have your career-enhancing opportunities in different towns/cities across the continent. You can have unlimited job opportunities throughout the USA. America can offer you more promising opportunities with a higher pay. They are paying $44,000 for an entry-level registered nurse.

The more skills you have, the higher your salary. Those nurses who decided to switch to advanced clinical practices and management earn significant increases in income. A person aspiring to pursue a nursing career must be studious, with outstanding analytical and critical thinking, and excellent skills in problem solving.