Well, I made it threw the CNA training class. Although it was intense most of the information was fairly common sense in nature. I passed the class with an A. I also took the CNA test. It had the potential to be very difficult but it turned out to be fairly easy also. I passed that with an A.
The real challenge was finding a job. I searched for months. I was searching in Prescott, Tuscon, and Phoenix. It seemed like everyone was requiring someone to have job experience. Something I had little of from training. I did finally find a job this week. I am working at a nursing home in the Prescott aria.
I made it thew the first week of orientation. I have three more weekends to work before my orientation is up. I hope I am ready by then. I know I'm not ready now. This is really, really intense work. There are so many things to be taken care of and not a lot of time to do them in.
I am actually very grateful for the place I work. The residence, although each individually challenged, are actually not that bad off.on the average. I have to care for between ten and twelve residence. It takes a lot of work and I seldom get a break. I don't mind though, I feel like I really make a difference in the lives of the people I care for. Although they can be a little rude at times, they really appreciate the work I do for them. I really hope to excel in this now position.
While I am working as a CNA I am learning a lot of things about nursing. I got to help with some wound care this week. I also get a little bit of a taste for what nurses have to do on a regular basis.. Although there job isn't as grueling as ours they stay really busy and work some long hours.
Sorry it took so long for me to update the blog, I was really overwhelmed getting threw class, testing, and trying to find a job. With my new work schedule, I should have some more time on my hands. I am going to be taking a break from schooling for a semester or two. I figure I should focus my energy on work till I have the routine down.
Sources
"stethescopes 1."http://onlinestethoscope.net/. Web. 28 Dec 2010.
I got into the first summer C.N.A. Class!!!! It took me a half an hour listening to a busy tone and hitting redial to fax in my application. I'm so happy I got into this class. I was so worried that I might not. The class fills up really fast. With the skills from this class I may be able to get a decent paying job and continue my education to become a R.N.
I got my text book for the C.N.A. Class in the mail today. I linked the book so you all could see what I am studying. Class Starts May 18, 2010. I have to read chapters 1,2,3,5,6,10, and 48 before the first day of class. I really have to try and trim my personal life to make more room for school. I have a strong feeling this class is going to be pretty intense. It is a five credit hour class. I will be in class Monday thew Thursday from 8:00am-4:30pm till June 16, 2010.
Yesterday I spent the day picking out the scrubs required for the C.N.A. Class clinicals. They are a navy blue color. I went to a store in Prescott Valley Arizona called Scrubs 4 Less. They where very helpful. I had a lot of questions beings this was my first time dealing with scrubs. The lady working there really took a lot of time to answer my questions and made sure I got what I needed. She even took the time to answer questions I had about other medical uniform related items I may need in the future. I was very pleased with their service.
This interview was with a marketing manager who works for a local nursing home.She knows quite a bit about the facility she works at.She was able to give some information about potential job openings where she worked.I chose to keep the source anonymous because I am planning on looking for a job where she works and don’t want to encourage others to fill up a position I may need.
Buerhaus, Peter I. “The Shape of the Recovery: Economic Implications for the Nursing Workforce”, Nursing Economic$; 27.5(Sep/Oct2009): 336-338). EBSCO. Web. 8 Apr 2010
This article I found in the EBSCO database.It talks about the economic changes that have taken place and how they have affected the nursing job market.The article appears to be reliable because it does cite its references.I was also able to find similar information in another database that agreed with the points made in this article.I plan on using some of the statistics from this article to illustrate how the nursing job market has changed.
Edwards, R.. "Economic Recovery, Health Reform May Spur New Hirings. " Hospitals & Health Networks 83.12 (2009): 11-12. Research Library Core, ProQuest. Web. 20 Apr. 2010.
I found this article in the ProQuest article database.It talks about how many hospitals are taking steps to cut back while avoiding layoffs.The information I found hear went well to verify the accuracy of my interview with Vicky.They also cite works they used.It also agreed with the information I found in the other database article.I plan on using some of the extra details about hospital cutbacks in my essay.They also have an image “Job Openings” I will probably post to my live blog essay.
Jones, Vicky. Personal Interview. 12 Apr 2010.
This interview was done over email.That was a great way to complete the interview.It allowed her the time to answer each of the questions in great detail.She is an R.N. working for YRMC.She has personally been affected by the changes at the hospital.With this insight her interview will be very helpful.Also I will be raising her grand kids so my success in finding work means a lot to her.The advice she gave on finding a job as a nurse will prove very valuable both in the essay and in life.
"Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010-2011 Edition. Web. 5 Apr 2010. <http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos102.htm>.
"Nursing and Psychiatric Aides." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010-2011 Edition. Web. 5 Apr 2010. <http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos327.htm>.
"Registered Nurses." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010-2011 Edition. Web. 5 Apr 2010. <http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm>.
This website is an excellent source of information.It discusses the many different specializations in the nursing field and what their job would entail.I plan on using it to cover each of the types of nursing I am researching. It seems very reliable because it is from a government agency and it cites its references.
Need a job? I sure do. There are three career choices that have some appeal to me. There is the Certified Nursing Assistant (C.N.A.). Which is not a nurse but rather a nurse’s assistant. There is the Licensed Practical Nurse (L.P.N.) which is a licensed nurse that works under the direction of physicians and registered nurses. And there is the Registered Nurse (R.N.). I hope to someday be an R.N. in the meantime I plan to become a C.N.A. in order to gain experience in the medical field. I originally chose to pursue the nursing field because of the availability of jobs. According to the U.S. Department of Labor overall job opportunities for registered nurses are expected to be excellent with much faster than the average job growth. Some employers report difficulty in attracting and retaining an adequate number of R.N.s (Registered Nurses).
In order to become a licensed nurse I will be required to complete an approved nursing program and pass a national licensing examination. There are three paths to becoming a R.N. there is a bachelor’s of science degree in nursing (B.S.N.) this takes about 4 years of college to complete. There is an associate degree in nursing (A.D.N.) which takes about 2 to 3 years of college to complete. Or, there is a diploma which takes about 3 years at a hospital to complete and is rare. Nursing school consists of classroom education and clinical practice (patient care). Students take courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology, other behavioral sciences, and nursing (Registered Nurses). I am currently Pre-Nursing (taking Pre-requirements) seeking my A.D.N. at Yavapai Collage.
Sixty percent of R.N.s working are currently employed in hospitals. Other jobs often held by R.N.s are for offices of physicians, home health care services, nursing care facilities, and employment services. As a R.N. some of the duties I will be expected to perform include: treating patients, record patients’ medical histories and symptoms, help perform diagnostic test and analyze results, operate medical machinery, administer treatment and medications and help with patient follow-up and rehabilitation (Registered Nurses).
A trend I have noticed, that I find especially alarming, is that there are now a considerable number of individuals pursuing nursing careers. I have concerns as to whether the nursing job market could possibly become saturated. Is the nursing field going to continue to have a shortage of nurses? Will there be enough jobs for all of the graduating nursing students? These are questions of serious concern for both job seekers and employers. I feel that the slowing trend in hiring will eventually ease. I also feel that the influx of current nursing students will be easily absorbed into the job market. I personally feel like not having a surplus in nursing job seekers is a good thing and that over populating the job market should be avoided.
I have noticed that even the field of nursing has been affected by the recent economic downturn. The recession has negatively affected the economic health of many health care providers and hence how much they could afford to spend on their nursing workforce. Some organizations have laid-off workers, including RNs, and some have scaled back operations or even closed their doors (Buerhaus). Our local hospital YRMC has recently implemented a hiring “chill”. It isn’t a hiring freeze per say because crucial positions may still be filled with the approval of a committee. This was done in order to try and reduce labor costs and offset recent budget demands (Jones). A lot of hospitals are taking a similar approach in reducing staff by attrition or cutting back hours to avoid layoffs. Layoffs and reductions in workforce are generally really detrimental to staff morale. Hospitals hope to retain high quality employees and be prepared for possible upcoming growth (Edwards).
There has been a reduction in demand for nurses especially in hospitals. This is because the spouses of a lot of nurses have recently been faced with unemployment or underemployment. This has caused these nurses to work, or work more than they normally would. This being the case a lot of positions are occupied that would normally be available. The number of nurses that recently returned to the workforce to work in hospitals in 2007 and 2008 was an unprecedented 243,000. Of these, more than half was supplied by RNs over the age of 50 (Buerhaus). This means they are close to retirement age and will be leaving the work force again soon. It is also interesting to note that 50,000 RNs left their jobs in nonhospital settings and switched into hospitals. The recession driven increase in RN employment has eased the shortage of RNs in many hospitals but other facilities may still be affected.
Of course employers would no doubt like to see the nursing job market more saturated. Up until the recent economic downturn, there were a steady number of open positions, especially night positions which were always available. If there were more R.N.s to choose from health care facilities would be under less pressure to make the accommodations that have been fairly standard for R.N.s. Working as an R.N. has allowed many individuals to make a decent wage. Often times they have been allowed to name their own schedules. Some facilities even offered sign on bonuses for new hires. This was true in a number of areas up until the recent economic downturn. In areas that are more desirable to live, such as Prescott, health care facilities are under less pressure to attract nurses and have been able to pick and choose employees (Jones). Even so if there were more individuals seeking the same positions this would force the wages down.
I feel like the schooling required to become a nurse is a little excessive but it serves as a protection. It prevents just anyone from becoming a nurse. It limits the nursing field to the best and the brightest, or at least the most determined. I thought at one time I wanted to be an L.P.N. so as to avoid some schooling and to avoid the supervisory role that R.N.s are expected to fill. There are also some facilities that choose to employ L.P.N.s rather than R.N.s to cut costs. I found out however the schooling load at Yavapai Collage to become a L.P.N. differs little than that to become a R.N. This school has a large number of pre-requirements to get into their nursing program and the program is primarily designed to train R.N.s. This is different than other schools that offer a one year L.P.N. program.
Economists are claiming that the recession has ended. They are uncertain as to what the nature of the economic recovery will be. Some speculate that there could be a jobless recovery. Many economists believe unemployment will increase again and exceed 10% before receding slowly over several years (Buerhaus). This may leave the nursing field more heavily populated and somewhat less in demand for a while to come. This does not disprove that it is a good job choice however. With a large population of the R.N.s currently being employed being close to retirement there will be a need to replace existing R.N.s even with current economic conditions. Also the slowing in hiring has resulted from financial limitations and not lack of need for services as in other fields. People continue to get sick, injured, or need medical treatment and advice. . This is very different from the job market in construction that I recently left. In construction I found there were a surplus of workers and a lack of demand for services. I feel like there will always be a demand for medical services. It’s one of those things that has to be taken care of regardless of the state of the economy.
So the question remains will I have trouble finding a job in our current economic condition. Or more importantly when economic conditions improve will there be an adequate number of jobs available. Doing some of my own research has lead me to believe there are still jobs available for nurses in this area in facilities other than the hospital. At a recent job fair I encountered several nursing homes seeking to employ C.N.A.s and R.N.s. A marketing manager at one facility told me they needed three more nurses (R.N.s) in order to be able to run their facility at its peak capacity. She said they had to limit the number of patience they currently held in order to remain within the nurse per patent ratio restrictions. She also informed me that they would help pay for schooling for their employees to continue their education (Anonymous). I found this information very exciting. This of course is just one example but it shows that there are still options for employment as a nurse.
I plan on specializing in geriatrics and working for a nursing home facility. These are twenty-four hour care facility so I may be required to work days, nights, and weekends. I will probably try and get on doing the night shifts. These shifts are more likely to have openings and the work load is less because most of the patience are sleeping. I usually function better during the night hours and night shifts sometimes have a slightly higher pay. Of course not everyone will find this to be an acceptable solution to needing employment. I receive some suggestions recently from a nurse working at the local hospital Yavapai Regional Medical Center. She said “It is crucial to get all the experience possible- through work as a CNA, as a nurse extern, etc... to make oneself a more desirable candidate. A person has to recognize that the days of picking your position, and hours, and sign-on bonus may not be realistic at this point in time. It may take a willingness to relocate, to accept a different position than originally intended, or to work hours not ideally desired. However, there have always been these trends in nursing. It is very likely that someone who persists will find employment, and ultimately, an avenue of nursing that one feels would be the most fulfilling.”-Jones.
Works Cited
Anonymous. Personal Interview. 1 Apr 2010.
Buerhaus, Peter I. “The Shape of the Recovery: Economic Implications For the Nursing Workforce”,Nursing Economic$; 27.5(Sep/Oct2009): 336-338). EBSCO. Web. 8 Apr 2010
Edwards, R.. "Economic Recovery, Health Reform May Spur New Hirings. " Hospitals & Health Networks 83.12 (2009): 11-12. Research Library Core, ProQuest. Web. 20 Apr. 2010.
"Job Openings." "Economic Recovery, Health Reform May Spur New Hirings. " Hospitals & Health Networks 83.12 (2009): 11-12. Research Library Core, ProQuest. Web. 20 Apr. 2010.
Jones, Vicky. Personal Interview. 12 Apr 2010.
"Registered Nurses."Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010-2011 Edition. Web. 5 Apr 2010. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm
The following interview was conducted with Vickie a RN nurse who works hear in Prescott, Arizona. I have known Vicky for some time now and she has been very insightful about her job. I plan to use this interview to reflect on how the economy is affecting the nursing job market. I also would like to include her comments on how to overcome difficulties finding a job as a nurse.
Sent: Mon, April 12, 2010 11:42:33 AM
Subject: Interview questions
Is your place of employment currently hiring nurses?
YRMC currently has a hiring "chill." It is not a hiring "freeze" because positions that are vacated, which are considered crucial to fill, are evaluated by a committee and someone may be hired for such a position if the committee approves it.
Why or why not?
The organization has recently been "in the red" for the first time due to a number of factors- 1) The opening of the east campus has incurred a large amount of debt which requires repayment. 2) Additionally, the Women's Health Pavilion, which is opening soon, has required a large investment. 3) There has been a freeze in AHCCCS payments and payments from Medicare may decrease. Since payroll is one of the largest expenditures, and the amount of staff has steadily increased over recent years, it has been determined that one crucial step in containing spending is to decrease the number of staff. Fortunately, it has been decided to allow this to occur naturally through attrition, rather than through lay-offs. Therefore, hiring has been greatly curtailed to accomplish this goal.
According to your observations is there a shortage of nurses in the field?
Up until the recent economic downturn, there were a steady number of open postions, especially night positions which were always available. Now, it seems that locally, many nurses have spouses who are unemployed or underemployed, or they are experiencing other financial pressures, and they are working more hours to make up that deficit. Certainly, open positions around the state have decreased, due to this and other financial situations. This might make it seem that there is no longer a nursing shortage. However, many of the nurses currently working are near retirement age. Also, a number of those who are working a lot of hours would decrease those hours if able to. I believe that if the current economic pressure was lessened, many more nursing positions would become available, and these would- again- be difficult to fill.
How does your facility deal with the shortage of nurses?
This is not applicable to our facility at this time. This is especially true since Prescott has always been a desirable are to live. In the past, even when there was a shortage of nurses in Phoenix, they were still "picking and choosing" in Prescott. The shortage had to become quite severe before this area was affected. With the current situation, there is again no problem with filling any needed position locally.
Who is more likely to find employment a C.N.A. an L.P.N. or R.N.?
R.N's certainly have more employment opportunities. However, there are facilities, such as long-term care and the V.A., that prefer to hire LPNs for the cost savings. I think both of these professions would enable a person to find a job if willing to work in a variety of settings, or hours. I do not know about job availibility for CNAs.
What fields of nursing are still likely to hire new staff?
Hospitals and long-term care facilities will always have to replace staff. This is likely true for jails and psyche facilities as well. It may require more effort of flexibility to obtain a position, but nursing definitely offers great potential for staying employed.
Are there still sign on bonuses for new hires?
Not locally, but I don't know about other areas of the country, or avenues such as working for Indian Health Services and accepting relocation. Some of these types of settings may still offer such bonuses.
Can you think of anything else that someone who is entering the field of nursing should be aware of?
It is crucial to get all the experience possible- through work as a CNA, as a nurse extern, etc... to make oneself a more desirable candidate. A person has to recognize that the days of picking your position, and hours, and sign-on bonus may not be realistic at this point in time. It may take a willingness to relocate, to accept a different position than originally intended, or to work hours not ideallly desired. However, there have always been these trends in nursing. It is very likely that someone who persists will find employment, and ultimately, an avenue of nursing that one feels would be the most fulfilling.
I will be doing this project on a career in the field of nursing. I am currently going to college to someday become a nurse. I am pre-nursing which means I am taking classes required to qualify to get into the nursing program. I find a career in nursing appealing because it is one that appears to be in demand. I was in the construction field and have not seen much work available for quite some time. I find the schedules available to nurses appealing. A lot of nurses work twelve hour shifts making it possible to work fewer days each week and still pull in a decent income. There are a number of nursing fields to choose from. I would like to explore several of these fields and maybe narrow down which field I would like to pursue. Some medical facilities have recently been put on a hiring freeze. With this in mind I would like to find information on what types of facilities will likely still be hiring even in our tough economy.
