Nurses unemployed what is happening out there???

webbiedebbie · Nov 8, 2011

I was laid off from a full-time telephone triage job 4 years ago. I could only find a part-time telephone triage job. I need benefits! I also was able to collect unemployment. I found a position that I knew I was not qualified for and really didn't want, but I would lose my unemployment if I turned it down. It turned out to be the worse 2 1/2 months in my life. They finally let me go. I couldn't quit or I wouldn't be able to get unemployment and I had to plea a special case d/t circumstances in order to be reinstated. I finally (Thank God) found a job 1 year ago doing remote chart reviews. I am required to work 40 hrs/week (YIPPEE!) BUT they DO NOT PAY BENEFITS. I have been working with them for one year and have not had a vacation because I can't afford to take off 1 week from work. I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR MY JOB, though and I LOVE doing the work. While I was unemployed, I too, took some online classes to further my education and then I thought, "wait, there are no jobs out there and I have no guarantee that I will find anything in the near future". I have not done bedside nursing in 6 years and would need to take a refresher course. I have no desire to work in a hospital at this point in my life. I have been a nurse since 1989 and never thought it would ever come to this. I'm sorry, but 12-hour shifts at my age would probably kill me. I feel bad for all the new nurses graduating and I feel bad for the older nurses. I CANNOT AFFORD COBRA, so don't even suggest that! My husband is not working and it is all I can do to make the mortgage and car payment, as well as high utility costs. I was recently diagnosed with Graves Disease and Diabetes II...seeing a doctor costs me CASH up front. I miss the nursing I used to do!

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Nov 9, 2011

i was laid off from a full-time telephone triage job 4 years ago. i could only find a part-time telephone triage job. i need benefits! i also was able to collect unemployment. i found a position that i knew i was not qualified for and really didn't want, but i would lose my unemployment if i turned it down. it turned out to be the worse 2 1/2 months in my life. they finally let me go. i couldn't quit or i wouldn't be able to get unemployment and i had to plea a special case d/t circumstances in order to be reinstated. i finally (thank god) found a job 1 year ago doing remote chart reviews. i am required to work 40 hrs/week (yippee!) but they do not pay benefits. i have been working with them for one year and have not had a vacation because i can't afford to take off 1 week from work. i am very grateful for my job, though and i love doing the work. while i was unemployed, i too, took some online classes to further my education and then i thought, "wait, there are no jobs out there and i have no guarantee that i will find anything in the near future". i have not done bedside nursing in 6 years and would need to take a refresher course. i have no desire to work in a hospital at this point in my life. i have been a nurse since 1989 and never thought it would ever come to this. i'm sorry, but 12-hour shifts at my age would probably kill me. i feel bad for all the new nurses graduating and i feel bad for the older nurses. i cannot afford cobra, so don't even suggest that! my husband is not working and it is all i can do to make the mortgage and car payment, as well as high utility costs. i was recently diagnosed with graves disease and diabetes ii...seeing a doctor costs me cash up front. i miss the nursing i used to do!

i would check with you states district attorney and the district attorney of the state the office is in......in some states if there is more than a certain number of employee's they employer must supply health care benefits of some sort. i am still trying to navigate the new health laws.....but it's a sad day that a registered nurse doesn't have insurance and is working full time...... :crying2: .

states must set up small business health options programs - aka "shop exchanges" - essentially purchasing pools where small businesses can club together to buy insurance. what's defined as a "small business"? those with no more than 100 employees, though states can limit the pools to companies with 50 or fewer employees through 2016. companies that outgrow the size limit will be grandfathered in.

companies with fewer than 50 workers won't face penalties if they don't offer insurance. if you have 25 or fewer employees and a work force with an average pay of up to $40,000, you can get tax credits to help buy insurance: up to 35 percent of the cost of the premiums this year, rising to 50 percent in 2014. (you'll have to pay at least half of the total premium cost or 50 percent of a benchmark premium to qualify.) full credits will be available for the smallest firms with the lowest-paid workers (10 or fewer employees and average yearly wages of less than $25,000); the subsidies shrink as companies' size and average pay rise. the tax breaks - estimated to affect about 12 percent of employees covered by small-group insurance -- will last for the first two years a company buys insurance through its state exchange. the breaks should lower the cost of insuring affected employees by 8 to 11 percent, estimates the congressional budget office.

if you provide health insurance coverage to retirees age 55 to 64 who aren't eligible for medicare, the legislation includes what's being called a "temporary reinsurance program" that begins no later than 90 days from the moment obama signs the bill and expires jan. 1, 2014. the program will reimburse employers or insurers for 80 percent of retiree claims between $15,000 and $90,000.

companies with more than 50 employees that don't offer coverage would be fined up to $750 per worker if any employees rely on government subsidies to buy coverage. the compromise bill the senate will consider this week will hike the fine to $2,000 per full-time employee. the first 30 workers are excluded, but two part-time employees will count as one full-time one for purposes of penalty calculation.

http://www.inc.com/news/articles/2010/03/health-care-reform-and-small-business.html

webbiedebbie · Nov 9, 2011

Well, unfortunately, I am considered "remote" which means like "contractual" employee and they don't have to offer insurance or other benefits that way.

TiaT · Jun 20, 2012

HI there i was just

doing a search on unemployed nurses. Just wondering if you have had any progress in a positive direction. I am a RN of 3 yrs experience and cannot find a job anywhere. This is very frustrating!

Hi, I am a 15 year nurse and I am unemployed from a full time position. I cannot seem to find a job. I have experience, and I am certified is many areas, but no potential job. I have applied over and over for work. Gees, I am a nurse where did the shortage go? All they want to offer me is PRN and Per diem or Part time no benefits, means no insurance. Right now I have to accept jobs where ever I can even in LTC facilities with G tags or troubles and who do not care to orient you, high risk potential. I saw a sign at a major hospital recently it said only experience accepted, no new grads??? What is happening no new grads? Will this continue to spiral out of control? I've never ever in all my 15 years had this kind of trouble with employment?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 20, 2012

HI there i was just
doing a search on unemployed nurses. Just wondering if you have had any progress in a positive direction. I am a RN of 3 yrs experience and cannot find a job anywhere. This is very frustrating!

The issue of nursing unemployment has multiple causes. Click on the link below to read more:

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/nursing-not-recession-742084.html

FURN · Nov 17, 2012

Yep, lets just face it the economy is not good I too have been an RN for 13 years and have had a great career doing ER, Critical Care, Med Surg. when I would get bored I would just change my area of nursing and learn something new. Hence now I am exp. in all areas of Nursing have great references but, the only Job I can find is in Homecare and now have been out of the hospital arena for 8 months. Staffing recruiters call me an bug me telling me they can get me an assignment only to find after they reference me etc. etc. they cant hire me because I have been out of the hospital setting for over 6 months????? So, I refuse to work with any of them any longer as they seem to just be humoring me??? Maybe they get paid per phone call who knows they remind me of car salesman??? Anyways I have learned alot in this unemployment phase dont take a good job for granted...And I have been able to spend some time with my kids which has been great!!! Learned how to plant a garden, and all kinds of other Martha Stewart essentials LOL....Oh and have time to post threads on nursing web sites.....Anyways hang in there fellow Nurses look to homehealth, childrens hospitals (they seem to have new grad programs), get your acls, and pals (this helps)...I apply weekly everywhere and get a couple interviews a month??? Currently my goal is to get in with the VA or IHS as this has the best benefits and retirement of any nursing JOB...it just takes forever but, I am finally getting calls so, hopefully my next post will be to let you all know I have landed a VA job??? I can tell you if I get one I wont be moving around anymore will stay at that job forever!!! LOL

SweettartRN · Nov 18, 2012

Why would they pay a nurse with 15 years experience $5.00-$10 more per hour than they could pay a new grad and basically trap them there for awhile?

The economy is not helpful towards nurses right now. We are all struggling.