In times past, students choosing a career in nursing were almost guaranteed to find a job after graduation; however, in today's job market, even nurses are being forced to settle on second-choice careers.
Positions for all types of nurses once filled many columns in the classified section of the newspaper, along with attractive sign-on bonus offers, making the field even more appealing to undecided college students.
Today, the ads have dwindled due to an overabundance of applicants, who, even with an advanced degree, are forced to work in less-desired areas of the medical field just to be in the industry at all.
Over the years, many jokes have been made about industries that will always have openings - medicine, accounting, and funeral homes.
And while the jokes may hold a certain amount of truth to them, it seems that the current job market is having an effect on even recession-proof industries.
Once in high demand, nurses are finding it more difficult to secure prime positions in the medical field, with competition becoming an issue of higher degrees and longer experience.
For those left without a job as a nurse, careful consideration of positions outside nursing becomes the number one priority.
A recent trend in the nursing profession has shown many people choosing to work longer, which industry analysts point to as a reason for a lack of available jobs.
As such, many new nurse graduates opt to get their foot in the door of the medical industry, and take jobs as medical assistants or as part-time medical employees in the hope that while they are earning income and gaining experience more-desired positions may become available.
However, these same new graduates also find that the time spent waiting for a premium nursing position also gives them the opportunity to explore other areas of medicine, with a percentage choosing to remain in their fields and forego a job as a nurse all together.
An additional factor that has played a role in limiting available nurse positions has been a certain number of alliances among hospitals and clinics, as well as a small number of facility closures.
Both of which force changes in staffing, and can serve as the main reason for a lengthy hiring freeze.
Ultimately, new nurse graduates will do well if they remember to focus on their own patience first.
Once they can achieve this, the patients will certainly come next.
Positions for all types of nurses once filled many columns in the classified section of the newspaper, along with attractive sign-on bonus offers, making the field even more appealing to undecided college students.
Today, the ads have dwindled due to an overabundance of applicants, who, even with an advanced degree, are forced to work in less-desired areas of the medical field just to be in the industry at all.
Over the years, many jokes have been made about industries that will always have openings - medicine, accounting, and funeral homes.
And while the jokes may hold a certain amount of truth to them, it seems that the current job market is having an effect on even recession-proof industries.
Once in high demand, nurses are finding it more difficult to secure prime positions in the medical field, with competition becoming an issue of higher degrees and longer experience.
For those left without a job as a nurse, careful consideration of positions outside nursing becomes the number one priority.
A recent trend in the nursing profession has shown many people choosing to work longer, which industry analysts point to as a reason for a lack of available jobs.
As such, many new nurse graduates opt to get their foot in the door of the medical industry, and take jobs as medical assistants or as part-time medical employees in the hope that while they are earning income and gaining experience more-desired positions may become available.
However, these same new graduates also find that the time spent waiting for a premium nursing position also gives them the opportunity to explore other areas of medicine, with a percentage choosing to remain in their fields and forego a job as a nurse all together.
An additional factor that has played a role in limiting available nurse positions has been a certain number of alliances among hospitals and clinics, as well as a small number of facility closures.
Both of which force changes in staffing, and can serve as the main reason for a lengthy hiring freeze.
Ultimately, new nurse graduates will do well if they remember to focus on their own patience first.
Once they can achieve this, the patients will certainly come next.
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