Anyone else have low census? Chronic?

[zoopnever]

I'm in the OC and we've been down to about 2/3 capacity since the beginning of May. It's gone down to half capacity a few times. As a result nurses are getting called off left and right, and now, after almost 6 months of this, the staff is getting angry and uptight. We all have bills and this is supposed to be a recession-proof business.

so what about you? Are you low census? How are you coping?

[Bongsau]

I work in OC also. What you decribed is happening at Anaheim memorial medical center. I think its to do with two things. The sale and the new Kaiser facilites in the area. Its annoying but theres other jobs around if you take the time to look.

[emptybee]

I'm north of LA...and a couple of the hospitals in my area are not hiring nurses due to their low census too....

I'm a new grad....and completely scared of not finding a job! :icon_roll

[zoopnever]

What you decribed is happening at Anaheim memorial medical center.

That's it all right. We've all been putting up with it for so long even though all the administration bailed months ago. Nurses for some reason put up with a lot and try to believe the good stuff is around the corner. Time to be more realistic. Thanks for your answer.

[zoopnever]

I'm north of LA...and a couple of the hospitals in my area are not hiring nurses due to their low census too....

I'm a new grad....and completely scared of not finding a job! :icon_roll

Try to stay away from the hospitals around poor areas, they drain funds out of the system and the companies try to dump them. AMMC is not the only one doing that. If I may say, try the Catholic hospitals, or University hospitals, they're usually well off and keep their census high. Of course ER always needs their nurses. Good luck.

[suzanne4, RN]

Sorry, but do not agree with you at all. It is not a point of only low census, but the fact that there are many more graduates then there are new grad orientation programs in your area. Adn the fact that new health care group is immune from what is happening with the economy. CHW has its share of problems as well.

And poor people need health care too, and they usually will have the highest census in those hospitals.

Telling someone not to work there for the reasons that you mentioned just does not make any sense to me. And the private hospitals also have low census as well, more so at certain times of the year.

But it is not just southern CA at this time, this is happening all over the country. Many are being laid off and then do not have their insurance in many cases, so they are staying away from hospitals unless they really get sick or they have deductibles that they are having trouble with paying if they go in to a hospital as well. CA also has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the entire US as well right now. So there are going to be many more added to the rosters of needing to use county facilities.

Sure, nursing is more recession proof that many professions. But when the economy is lower than anyone ever imagined and in such a short time, then nursing gets hit as well. People losing their jobs, and then no healthcare or minimal coverage. It is called supply and demand. And with many more new grads in areas, then there is a glut of nurses and this makes it harder for others.

As far as getting a low census day, this also is dependent upon the union contract that you have if you are covered by one. There are quite a few that do not permit more than 72 hours or 6 twelve hour shifts per year from being given a low census day, or you will be still paid for it.

Expect things to get much worse before you are going to see things get better.

People that you never thought would have to. And there are actually nurses getting laid off in CA as well. So please get the facts right first, before just assuming something.

[zoopnever]

" CHW has its share of problems as well."

CHW is the last place I worked, and indeed, nurses were getting called off due to low census. It was in San Bernardino. Poor area. CHW was also trying to dump their San Bernardino hospitals at the time for low performance. I suspect they still are, I don't know. I moved on.

"And poor people need health care too, and they usually will have the highest census in those hospitals."

And the lowest record for paying their bills. Yeah I can be Mother Teresa too. But a hospital is a business.

"Telling someone not to work there for the reasons that you mentioned just does not make any sense to me."

Because you don't see the hostility and back biting of nurses when they're not getting their paychecks. I do.

"And the private hospitals also have low census as well, more so at certain times of the year."

As previously mentioned, this has been going on for 6 months. Six months of getting called off takes the nobility of the profession away and leaves broke people who can't pay their bills.

"So please get the facts right first, before just assuming something"

This is a blog and I'm telling a poster what I think. It's not a student paper I'm handing in for a grade. It's not a speech I wrote for Obama to be picked apart by pundits. I told a new nurse what I'd found after my years' experience, which in that experience, are facts.

But I thank you for your opinions.