Newly-qualified nurses are dumped into a shrinking job market with inadequate preparation and no support. Michelle Rumsey examines the self-help solutions

Speaking to third-year students at a recent jobs fair, I was appalled to find that few of them had received any constructive help in preparing for the job market. In 1991, when nurses were in demand, the health department spent £4 million on recruitment and retention adverts. Some may say the campaigns worked as it is not a problem to recruit nurses or fill nurse vacancies these days.