Loma Linda University Health’s Post

Why are so many newly registered nurses struggling to find jobs? Despite sky-high nurse vacancy levels, a surprising proportion of new registrants are struggling to find jobs. We take a look at what the reasons might be: 

***Long post warning*** Today is the last day of Emergency Nurses Week. Here are some things to ponder in light of this recognition: *70% of ER Nurses report having been hit or kicked at some point while on the job. *25% of ER Nurses report having experienced physical violence more than 20 times in the last 3 years while on the job. *20% of ER Nurses report having experienced verbal abuse more than 200 times in the last 3 years while on the job. *55% of ER Nurses have depressive symptoms. *48% of ER Nurses have severe occupational burnout. Please take this into consideration the next time you or a loved one are in the ER. If the nurse isn't as cheerful and warm as you'd like or expect, or if the nurse seems preoccupied, rushed, or disconnected emotionally.... please show that nurse some grace, they may need more care and concern than the average patient at that moment. If you ARE an ER Nurse, please take the time to take care of yourself. I'm going to tell you something that none of your nursing instructors or managers will, you are more important than your job or the patient. Take to heart the idea that you cannot pour from an empty cup. Self-care is the single most important type of care that you will perform throughout your career. Our healthcare system and society as a whole cannot survive without you....and you cannot survive without safeguarding your well-being.

My point is: If you are a nurse, please consider OH as an alternative role but know the high level of commitment and equal level of self-care needed. We in #OccupationalHealth meet nurses looking to move into #OH to reduce the stress they are experiencing in a traditional nursing role. Although delighted that nurses are looking to move into OH (after all we need workforce development), this should not be the sole reason. OH requires a high level of knowledge, skills and behaviours, above that of general nursing. It takes relearning and additional learning including customer service skills, risk-based thinking, a commercial mindset, enthusiasm, critical thinking, autonomy, fast-paced working, agility, tact and high levels of professionalism as decision-making for some tasks can end up in court.

Is the bedside the only place where nurses can thrive? While bedside nursing has been a cornerstone of my career, it’s important to recognize that nurses have a wide variety of settings to work in beyond the bedside. If you aren't already familiar with them, here are some other options to consider as a nurse: 🌹 Public health nursing 🌹 Digital health 🌹 Nurse educator 🌹 Nurse researcher 🌹 Nurse consultancy 🌹 Health policy nursing 🌹 Nurse informaticist 🌹 Nurse entrepreneur 🌹 Case management 🌹 Forensic nursing 🌹 Clinical nurse leader 🌹 Occupational health nurse 🌹 Legal nurse consultant 🌹Nurse health coach 🌹 Clinical research nurse, and so much more! As valuable as bedside nursing is and has been for me, it would be a misconception to believe that it is the only route nurses can take. This kind of thinking can keep people who have a passion for nursing (but not necessarily the bedside) away from pursuing a career here. Have you considered exploring any of these opportunities? Share your own experiences in the comments below!

Today the most important article in chatgpt and "The role of the nursing work environment, head nurse leadership and presenteeism in job embeddedness among new nurses: a cross-sectional multicentre study" - The study addresses the critical issue of retaining new nurses in medical institutions. - It explores how the nursing work environment, head nurse leadership, and presenteeism influence job embeddedness among new nurses. - The findings emphasize the importance of preserving adequate resources for new nurses to enhance their job embeddedness. - The research highlights the need for investment and buffering strategies to address resource insufficiencies and improve new nurses' job embeddedness. #nursing #jobembeddedness #newnurses #healthcare #leadership

As a recruiter, I help several nurses further their careers in the medical field. Let me share my biggest takeaways that I think more people should know about nursing… . . . . . 👩👩👧👦Family-Inspired Passion: Nurses often embark on their careers due to familial influences, reflecting a deeply personal motivation for their chosen profession. 🌊Admiration for Nursing Resilience: The remarkable dedication and resilience displayed by nurses in their daily work underscore their indispensable role in healthcare. 👓Importance of Policy Understanding: Clear comprehension of the intricate policies and procedures within nursing specialties is paramount for healthcare workers to proficiently fulfill their responsibilities. #recruitment #recruitmentalley #nationalnursesweek #nursing

🌟 Nurses: The Backbone of Healthcare 🌟   Did you know that nursing is the largest healthcare profession in the U.S. with over 4.3 million licensed RNs and APRNs? Despite the critical role nurses play, job satisfaction has declined significantly in recent years.   The 2022 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses revealed that dissatisfaction among nurses nearly doubled from 11.0% in 2017 to 19.9% in 2021. Burnout and stress have increased, especially during the pandemic, with 82.3% of nurses experiencing burnout at some point in their careers. (2024 article from the National Center for Workforce Analysis linked in comments)   At The Nontraditional Nurse (TNN), we recognize the importance of finding a job that "fills your cup." Our mission is to empower nurses to discover and achieve fulfilling careers; whether that be through bedside nursing or a more nontraditional path. We provide free resources and practical advice to help nurses explore career paths, find better work-life balance, and reduce burnout.   Join us on this journey to redefine nursing careers and improve job satisfaction. Together, we can create a brighter future for nurses everywhere!   #Nursing #CareerDevelopment #TheNontraditionalNurse #NursingCareers #ProfessionalGrowth #Burnout #JobSatisfaction

Nurses, are you ready to apply your skills & experience beyond the bedside? M7 is hiring! M7 Health is made by nurses for nurses. So it’s no surprise that the nurses we’ve hired to date understand our customers & products and add value immediately. First-hand nursing experience has been invaluable to our organization. 2025 is shaping up to be a banner year for growth, and we are hiring now to be ready to hit the ground running. We have open roles for:  💼 Account managers  💼 Operations associates These are client-facing roles that support our nurse managers and nurse users. Who better to support our nurse clients than nurses themselves? But it’s more than just supporting nurses. We are a mission-driven organization aimed at making the nursing profession more sustainable and attractive. 👩⚕️Are you a nurse with bedside experience? 👩⚕️Are you interested in new technology? 👩⚕️Do you want to join our mission to elevate the nursing profession? If you know someone who fits this description, please tag them in the comments below. If this description sounds appealing to you, send me a DM or apply to the role posted in the comments below. #nursesonlinkedin #nursingcareers #nursing

**THE MYTHs AND TRUTH ABOUT NURSES'** * NURSES ARE "JUST ASSISTANT" TO DOCTORS* MYTH: Many believe nurses only follow doctors' orders. TRUTH: Nurses are highly skilled professionals with critical roles, including patient assessment, care planning, education, and independent decision-making. Advanced practice nurses, such as nurse practitioners, can diagnose, prescribe medications, and manage treatments. * NURSING IS A "WOMEN'S PROFESSION." MYTH: Nursing is often stereotyped as a career only for women. TRUTH: While women make up the majority, the number of men in nursing is steadily growing, breaking outdated gender stereotypes. * NURSING IS ALL ABOUT PHYSICAL TASK MYTH: Nursing involves only tasks like giving injections, taking vitals, or cleaning wounds. TRUTH: While physical tasks are essential, nursing involves emotional support, patient advocacy, education, and critical thinking. * NURSING IS AN "EASY" PROFESSION MYTH: Nursing is often perceived as less demanding than being a Doctor. TRUTH: Nursing requires extensive education, physical endurance, emotional resilience, and the ability to make life-saving decisions under pressure. #nursingeducation #mythsandtruth

A letter to Junior Nurses Dear Junior Nurse, I know, I know the excitement that comes with passing FQE and NCK, no, that doesn’t even slap well, the excitement that comes with holding your Nursing Practise License. You want to don that beautiful nursing regalia and hit the ground running, you want to “moshene” on that nursing cardex.”Vaane sister😂” Probably you were in a Mission Nursing College, you are dying to be called “Sister Eden😂.” Kidding…, you just want a job, any job to you is fine.No wahalla. Please be weary of the kind of jobs you take up on your first nursing assignment as a qualified nurse, 5 years later, it will have an impact on your cv…. Again, be weary of employment gaps, everyone will want to know what you were doing during that time.Be smart enough to turn tables around when you feel that a certain role is not contributing to your career growth.Allow yourself to pick on an assignment that will challenge you to greater proffesional milestones. As wisemen would put it, never be too hungry that you eat from any plate that is presented to you.Choose a role that has a potential for growth. Alot of privately owned businesses will most likely pick on you because your pay will be within a bare mininum range, then after that, waste your clinical skills doing bare minimum duties, this will go on for some years till you end up wasting your priductive years and then you’ll soon be replaced with a younger version of yourself. By this time, you have no other skill aside from what you were doing in your previous role. You become devastated, you had no savings, no new knowledge and you cannot compete for the available opportunities.You have no “big fish” to connect you for a government role, you probably have lumbago following those unhealthy shoes you were wearing to please “daktari” in your previius role….. You become depressed….the rest is history. So choose your struggle wisely. Everywhere is hard, so choose your hard😊 Chao