Nursing Jobs Still On The Market

We’ve said it before, but the news just keeps confirming it — even in spite of our economy’s current rollercoaster ride, new college graduates with nursing degrees are still finding plenty of jobs. Whether in hospitals or nursing homes, doctor’s offices or family clinics, a shortage of nurses lately has made it relatively easy for new nurses to find vacancies that need filling.

“The demand for our graduates is extremely strong,” said Andrea Lindell, dean of the University of Cincinnati’s College of Nursing.

[...] While fewer hospital jobs are available, Lindell said, there are still plenty of other places to work, including community-based clinics, home duty nursing, step-down units for people ready to leave the hospital but not yet ready to go home on their own, drug-store based clinics and nursing homes.

There’s also a real need for nurses with bachelor degree or higher qualifications, including specialty training in critical care, aging and cancer care, Lindell said. “With the higher acuity of patients and the shorter stay in the hospital, those higher-level skilled nurses are really in demand,” she said.

Lindell also mentioned a need for nurses trained in gerontology since, as good health care helps Americans live longer and longer still, a growing number of qualified nurses will be needed to care for the rising elderly population.

The job market isn’t totally ideal, even for graduates of top nursing schools — though jobs are out there, you might not find your perfect fit right away. But don’t give up: the right one is out there, and your odds even these days are pretty good.

Tags: Nursing Careers, nursing degrees