News Flash! Nurses Get The Boot!

[henryswife]

:mad:This is something I would have never expected. Definitely discouring to me and heart breaking:crying2:.Well my sister she is an Lpn and has been for over 20yrs.She told me that they are laying off nurses from left to right at her job in correctional prison.I have been reading up on other locations about this same thing occuring. I just took it as a rumor or whatever. I cant believe the economy is so bad that they would lay off nurses.I mean I thought if I went to school for nursing. I pretty much had it made.A permamanet gig..a great career even.OOOOOHHHH man something has got to give..when nursing isnt safe anymore. Is anyone experiencing the same situation in thier neck of the woods

[zntd]

So why do I never read or hear about the real heart of the issue involving the so called nursing shortage? Is the corporate machine just to big in media and politics? Well..of course it is. Thats what happens when there is a lack of community.

Even in the local nursing paper, there is a lot of pumping for school funding. How can there be so many metro areas across the country pumping hundreds and hundreds of graduates in each metro and everyone still believes there is a severe shortage due to a lack of graduates?

[shodobe]

I think it depends on what state. California seems to be hiring in the correctional area. It also is the fact your sister is an LPN whereas institutions are looking RNs usually. That might be the biggest problem. Hospitals in general are laying off most anybody but RNs. They can't get Medicare funds if the nursing staff isn't comprised of mostly RNs. Most hospitals are in financial problems and the highest payed employees are the ones they want to get rid of. Hospitals can be run without housekeepers, engineers, CNAs, LPNs, security, etc.................. but can't be run without RNs or MDs. Just a fact.

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

I think it depends on what state. California seems to be hiring in the correctional area. It also is the fact your sister is an LPN hwereas institutions are looking RNs usually. That might be the biggest problem. Hospitals in general are laying off most anybody but RNs. They can't get Medicare funds if the nursing staff isn't comprised of mostly RNs. Most hospitals are in financial problems and the highest payed employees are the ones they want to get rid of. Hospitals can be run without housekeepers, engineers, CNAs, LPNs, security, etc.................. but can't be run without RNs or MDs. Just a fact.

Well, I would include CNA and security in my must have list. I have seen hospitals run with a pitence of a housekeeping and dietary crew though. OMG those places were scary.

[shodobe]

Well, I would include CNA and security in my must have list. I have seen hospitals run with a pitence of a housekeeping and dietary crew though. OMG those places were scary.

I guess what I was trying to say was hospitals in general don't really need this departments to run and usually will run them on a shoestring! Patients would be appalled if they knew this. We do need each other and should always fight together to preserve each others position. In Calif SEIU is in deep dodoo and trying to do away with the union that the ancillary staff is trying to bring in, UHW. CNA is standing by them to assure them solidaity. SEIU is run by a bunch of corrupt, heavy handed thugs.

[lyceeboo]

Agree, as far as layoffs, seemingly capricous firings and nurses getting the boot - it probably depends on where you live. In my area there are 3 schools with RN programs and 2 large local hospitals. Hearing about a several new grads being fired after orientation has never been unusual because these hospitals have a large pool of ready replacements.

The saddest thing happened last yr when one of the hospitals administrators claimed that they failed to anticipate some Medicare funding that wasn't approved. Seven newly hired RN's and 38 senior RN student "nurse techs" were let go during a massive cutback. Then 4 months ago the same hospital fired an RN who had worked in the ED for 21 yrs. (This nurse insists she was fired b/c she got sick and used too much of her leave time.)

So maybe it depends on the area of the country and the competence, honesty and compassion of hospital management in your area. A lot of the new grads here are older/married/settled so they can't always pick up and move to cities where there are RN shortages.

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

New grad jobs are tight right now in MPLS/St Paul. Advanced practice positions are tight as are LPN positions.

[henryswife]

Well its just not Lpns getting laid off...its also Rn's as well.My sister has a supervisory position at her prision. So she is safe for now.

[Jo Dirt]

I guess what I was trying to say was hospitals in general don't really need this departments to run and usually will run them on a shoestring! Patients would be appalled if they knew this. We do need each other and should always fight together to preserve each others position. In Calif SEIU is in deep dodoo and trying to do away with the union that the ancillary staff is trying to bring in, UHW. CNA is standing by them to assure them solidaity. SEIU is run by a bunch of corrupt, heavy handed thugs.

I interviewed at a hospital recently and the interviewer told me they were looking to switch to "primary nursing." Ergo, no CNAs and the nurses take the rest of the load.