Any projections for nursing employment in the current and near future economy?

[Saifudin]

Hello Colleagues,

As the economy worsens with huge numbers of layoffs, it seems to me that loss of jobs means of loss of health care coverage leading to decreased utilization of hospital beds and health care services. Any projections how this will effect nursing employment at all levels of the industry?

[NeoPediRN]

It's already affected us here in MA. Five Boston hospitals are on a hiring freeze and no hospitals are taking new grads...over a thousand new grads are without jobs right now. I'm one of them and have been job searching over a year. Several hospitals have already made massive layoffs, including 300 ancillary personnel at one hospital.

[Saifudin]

Sarahbeth,

Thanks for the information, but sorry things are so tough for you. I hope things work out.

[tencat]

Getting tough here, as well. My company is asking us to cut our hours to avoid layoffs.

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

I work as a travel nurse. I was a little ignorant to the effects of the enconomy on our industry as evidenced by my posts in other topics. Hey, I'm in the highest paying position as an RN I've ever held. Its in a great location and the hospital is very respectable. So, I had trouble convinceing myself the industry was suffering.

But, a few other travelers (on this site and on the outside) have told me their options for employement have been reduced significantly. One girl was promised she would be able to return to the east coast after a job here in WA. They couldnt find placement for her. She "called their bluff" and applied to other travel companies and held her ground, insisted on moving back out east to work. She isnt working now. She decided to take a vacation of sorts and go back out east, waiting for travel positions to open up.

A friend of my wife's recently decided to go back to travel nursing. She works full time in CA but wanted to travel again. When she put in her application, a few travel companies had automated requests stating "We appreciate your interest in working for (fill in the blank). At this time, our openings in your field are limited (she works ICU). We will be contacting you shortly if placement becomes possible in the near future. Unfortunately, at this time, we are not hiring."

So, I am looking at becoming full time again. If I can get a residency in ICU or OR, I'll become staff. If alls I can find is med/surge, I'l continue to travel.

[cooliegirl]

Country Mom,

Thanks for that update. If you don't mind what region of the country are you in. I'm evaluating a repat back to the States this year after 14 years working in Saudi but all signs point seem to suggest things will get worse before they get better and I may just stay put for another year. Its tough job searching from overseas, especially during the present downturn.

Saifudin, can you tell me what's it like to be a nurse in Saudi, I always had an interest in this. Are the equipments/policies different, how are the patients?. Is is true you can make $100k or more a year. Have you ever worked in Dubai? Thank you

[jam2007]

I'm also in MA and work outside of Boston. No layoffs, but staff has been mandated to stay home, including managment. For those of us that work 12 hours, if the census is low at change of shift, it's not uncommon to be asked to take "first-off" either. I am afraid things aren't going to change for the better any time soon.

[pageygirl]

In Illinois I have heard of several Chicago area hospitals that have a hiring freeze have heard of layoffs as well as one hospital letting go of all of thier flex nurses. We have one nursing position available at my hospital. Not sure what the new grads will do.

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

I was talking with other nurses during an educational session today. They are part of a large hospital and received NO raise. Their hospital will be looking at this quarterly but no raise in sight. I thought it was bad that I received a 2% raise-not complaining anymore......

I have heard of layoffs of direct patient care staff in some isolated areas.

otessa

[Oz2]

When I started my prereqs in fall of 2006 there were around 250 RN positions at my local hospital and a similar number of jobs at other hospitals in the area. Now, as I am finishing, there are 2 jobs at my local hospital, no hiring of new grads at another, a hiring freeze at another, and 1 job at the VA.

So much for the nursing shortage. There are no words for what I feel about the situation.

[Saifudin]

The question now, will these hiring freezes, salary deductions, and lay offs lead to a decline in patient care and safety. Bed utilization will likely decline, but enough to balance the reduction in staffing? I hope this is not the beginning of a new crisis in patient care.

[blueyed]

I have worked for my employer for 21 years as a RN. Having worked 11 full time years and 10 years part time/casual due to children and husband's work schedule.

It's a 250 bed hospital in a rural community. The beginning of this year the RNs were told of a wage freeze and reduction of hours. 72 hour work week for full time. Lots of part time RNs lost 2 days per pay and the casual worker is listed on the schedule but not one of them got any time! The schedule was filled after combining units and staff.

Management approached the ancillary staff who are unionized and asked for a wage freeze and if they vote not to accept it, we were told they would come back to us.

The quality of patient care has to be affected. We were told this was to to a reduction of insurance and Medicare reimbursements, decrease in patient census, closings of other regional hospitals and past poor decisions that were made.

Happy New Year!

[tclema]

Seriously? I can't believe this. Here we are looking to hire and there you are looking. I wish we could move our hospital to one of these areas to fill our positions.