Census has been terrible

WOW... low census for that long? Are the facilities also using a lot of travelers?

I hope it eases up soon!

B.

Here in Pittsburg I keep pretty busy. I have noticed a trend the past few years where certain hospitals try to establish their own inhouse agencies and don't want to use outside agencies as much, usually it doesn't pan out.

Why don't you try travel nursing yourself. They pay well and you get to go all over the place plus health benefits.

If your interested I do know somebody who might be able to help

There are so many factors involved besides supply and demand. I have had a TERRIBLE year. After 15 years of steady work at a correctional facility I've been lucky to get an average of 24 hrs. a week(thats some weeks 40 and others 8). I would have thought that with the 'shortage' there would be high demand, but I have since discovered that sometimes the scheduler messes up, some times another agency person endears themselves to the scheduler.OR someone from another agency endears themselves to the supervisor.Many facilities will work short rather than pay agency when they can get away with it.(whick makes me glad I'm not one of their employees) Either way I agree with Nurse4God, that all and all it seems to work out. Somehow I've gotten by. One good thing is that I make more per hour than the average bear and I've learned a long time ago to put back a nest egg for the lean times. That way when work is slow, instead of worring, I go to the beach, or clean my house from top to bottom, or catch up on paperwork or reading, things I had no time for when I worked the 40+ hrs I used to........I'm considering looking around for a travel position and may do that if need be...........It's pretty much out of my hands anyway................

I know OSU Med Center uses alot of travelers and so does the Grant Riverside Group. I don't think Mt. Carmel in Columbus does though. I am hearing from other people in agency they are saying the same thing. How long can you hold out with such low hours? I know I could not hold out long.

renerian

Sorry to hear that. It has been slow in my area as well. A lot of my friends seem to think that staff wants to pick up extra hours due to the holidays & also noticed more travellers/contracts being used as opposed to agency (per diem). So, I recently applied for a new position accepting a 14 week contract...at least I will be guaranteed my hours...just may take a little getting used to since working agency allowed me freedom/choice of my work schedule. Good luck!

oops trying to learn how to post a reply in a quote.

I feel for ya. I have been new to agency nursing since September. Been a frustrating experience for me. Am looking at taking a fulltime reg job. I think that perhaps the economy is starting to affect the jobs in some areas of the country. Spouses are unemployed and the nurse is picking up more hours. Could be related to Christmas too. People want money to spend.

Renerian,
Didn't notice you were from Columbus. Same here. Went to an orientation at Mt Carmel a few weeks ago for agency nurses. There was a traveler there too.