Changes in the school-to-work transition for Canadian nursing program graduates

This paper investigates changes in the school-to-work transition for graduates of Canadian community college and university nursing programs between 1978 and 1992, using data from four different National Graduates Surveys conducted by Statistics Canada. By examining four distinct cohorts of nursing program graduates (1976 graduates in 1978, 1982 graduates in 1984, 1986 graduates in 1988, and 1990 graduates in 1992), we can identify salient trends over time. These observed employment trends include a marked increase in part-time employment approximately two years after graduation (with a corresponding decline in full-time employment), and an associated increase in temporary positions (with declining permanent employment). These data suggest that the school-to-work transition for graduates of nursing programs has become more difficult over time. Implications from these empirical findings on the school-to-work transition for this segment of post-secondary graduates are discussed. The impact of significant labour market changes (transition from an acute shortage of nurses in hospital settings in the late 1980s to nursing layoffs, bed closures, and ward and hospital shutdowns in the early 1990s) is also addressed.