Are Hospitals Cancelling Contracts Becoming a Trend?

[dance4life]

I have noticed something. Hospitals are canceling contracts for non-clinical reasons, just anything. A nurse was acting weird, she gave so-called so and so an attitude, I heard a rumor so it must be true, huh? lol. Is this a new trend? What as a Traveler besides having a savings to cover yourself from unemployment can you do to protect your contract from this silliness. If you are a permanent employee do you think you would be fired for being odd? O_o

I have been seeing this more and more as hospitals budgets are getting tight, or when you hear about it in a meeting. Anyone else seeing this? The last two hospitals I have. The previous one if you coughed you were canned.

[NedRN]

I think what you witnessed was too anecdotal to represent a trend. Hospitals are islands, and they develop their own culture. Not much chance of coordinating minor personnel policies. Hospitals can learn how much push back they get from agencies over time and can get abusive. But I've been to many hospitals whose managers really believe that it is almost impossible to terminate a traveler. I saw one traveler who was clearly incompetent - had never worked in an OR before (I'm guessing a physician private practice is where she got enough experience to be dangerous). She lasted a month before they managed to find a solid reason to fire her - falsifying her agency application. So practices do vary dramatically - I've also been to many places where they will term a traveler for no reason at all.

[dance4life]

I see that could be a definite reason.

But of course that isn't what I am talking about here. If someone has no clue what they are doing clinically the WTH are they soon there beats me? I hear you on that one. Hopefully, they a Manager is reading this and know they surely should not feel bad for the safety of their floor and patients and can get rid of the so called "not safe" traveler.

But, losing a job because of "cliques" or "mean girls" when they are not making mistakes, the patients love them, they show up to work on time, etc. , is just not even right and abusive. But, as time goes on I worry.

[NedRN]

Yup, it is wrong. Such cultures are harmful to patient care, never mind that they also wreck a hole in a good nurse's life.

To some extent, such cultures are self limiting. Well run agencies cannot afford to place travelers in such facilities, it is just too costly. Agencies that knowingly place travelers in toxic environments and then penalize them when they are termed, well hopefully word gets around and travelers don't work for them. That makes bill rates go up until it is worth risking a failed assignment to work there.

[dance4life]

True words. When I bump into Travelers in hospitals we tend to "talk" about this. Here I don't know who is watching so I don't mention names. Anyhow, thank you for your insight as always.

It isn't always this way I love Travel Nursing and I have met some great nurses along the way staff and travel! So if someone thinks it is all negative talk it isn't but it is good to know the negative too, just for a FYI about the biz.

[malamud69, BSN, RN]

Well besides the points stated above...lets look at something else. If the state you are in is a "right to work" state then you basically have no rights at all...the title is extreme in its misleading of the common worker. When you sign up for any job-travel or no-contract or no-in a right to work state...you have no rights. Part of the beauty of right to work states for corporate greed machines is the ability to fire at will w/o cause or concern. You sign this over when you take a job in these states...any job. Good luck!

[NedRN]

Well besides the points stated above...lets look at something else. If the state you are in is a "right to work" state then you basically have no rights at all...the title is extreme in its misleading of the common worker. When you sign up for any job-travel or no-contract or no-in a right to work state...you have no rights. Part of the beauty of right to work states for corporate greed machines is the ability to fire at will w/o cause or concern. You sign this over when you take a job in these states...any job. Good luck!

I think you are mixing up two different legal concepts (very common mistake). "Right to work" means the ability to work on a unionized job site without paying union dues. Obviously, this is very damaging to unions and their ability to represent workers and finance strikes, and not surprisingly, hourly pay is lower in right to work states. Other than possibly lower pay rates, this law does not affect travelers at all.

"At-will" employment means that the employer can fire you without cause or reason at any time (and the worker can likewise quit). This is either explicit law or common law in every state, but it is preempted by employer-employee contracts. As such, at will does not apply to workers under contract such as union workers, or travelers.

The only way at-will affects travelers is if it (or language having the same effect) is in your contract or related documents (I've seen it in the application and employee handbook). It is the worst thing in travel nursing, and defeats the whole purpose of a contract if they can terminate you at any time without just cause. In addition, the way that agencies write contracts is that not only are you at-will, but missed hour penalties still apply even when you are clearly able and willing to work your contracted hours.

To sum up, don't worry about state laws on right to work or at-will, but read your contract carefully. I would never accept a contract stating that I'm an at-will employee, or if I did, I'd need very specific language about missed hour penalties. Contract language often preempts state labor laws, and does when it comes to at-will.