Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - Crouse Hospital School of Nursing graduated 93 professionals Thursday, all ready to hit the workforce.
The healthcare field is one of the few that tends to have positions open, even when the economy is poor.
As NewsChannel 9 found out, many of the graduates have found jobs -- but the competition is still tough.
“It's the hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life. It really is, but totally worth it,” says Beth Salvagno.
Salvagno went back to school after staying home with her daughter, inspired by the neo-natal nurses who tended to her when she was a preemie.
Shelley Davis was inspired by the care her father received. Of the 40 people who started evening classes with her, only a handful made it to graduation.
Even though they're barely done with classes, about 20 have already secured nursing positions at Crouse. Others were LPNs and will now be RNs. For Shelley and Beth, their situations are a bit different.
“I had just gone into the pediatrician’s office, and they asked me to work there. Such a great opportunity,” Davis says.
Beth hasn't found a job yet, but has only applied to one.
She plans to take a couple of months off -- then she hopes to get her ideal position: working in a NICU.
The director of research at Hemotology Oncology Associates of Central New York was Thursday's commencement speaker.
Dr. Carolyn McAuliffe talked about the nurses being an "agent of change" in today's healthcare field.
