Lay offs

Nurses General Nursing

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I was just curious if any of your hospitals are experiencing very low census times?? Our hospital at this time of year is normally way over 300pts, but it has been about 175 up to about 210 max for a long time.. The hospital says they are losing money and unfortunately are going to have to lay off about 150people.. They SAY no people with "hands on" care will be affected, but who knows..

There have been some layoffs in one hospital in my area too. They say it is because of the balanced budget act that significantly reduced medicare payments to hospitals.

Yes, my hospital was doing layoffs too. I know some clerks with high pay were laidoff. I know my hospital is in a budget crisis also. We are currently running at low census, but a lot of nurses have left, so no one is being downstaffed.

None yet, but they keep saying they may have to.

Been there, done that. We are in the same financial crunch as most everyone else and they laid off approx. 28, the closest they got to hands on staff were some CNA's. Come on guys, they are our extra hands and eyes and get paid the least, there's got to be a more logical way to cut cost and expenditures! like cut a couple of the pencil pushers at the very top.

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

Not touch Pt care - Yeah, riiightt. And I have a bridge and some swamp land to sell you

The only way that they wouldn't hurt pt care is if they eliminated the suits at the top.

My current assignment is one of those hospitals that cuts back but not in pt care.

The garbage cans, sharps bins, laundry bins are filled to overflowing and just try to locate housekeeping ( no drops or keys so that nursing could do it, either). On the other hand, running out of soap/toilet paper/paper towels/crackers/blankets. It is pathetic. And they wonder why the infection rate is high.

Yet, there is still all these new machines that they get - that don't improve anything - require us to relearn things and attend time wasting classes. They could probably save enough money by finding one restraint policy, sticking to it and not rewriting and reteaching and redoing the paper work every six monthes. And firing the nuts that get paid to change all that worthless paperwork every 3 to 6 monthes.

Actually they are getting rid of many of the suits at the top..

This is round two for us with layoff's. which is so very sad, as my hospital has been the greatest place to work, until the layoff's first began.

"but this restructuring won't affect patient care", as the ward secretary has been let go, our ratio has increased, supplies unstocked and the MICU manager has even stopped ordering STRAWS, juices and soda's to save money in her budget.

A train wreck from the cath lab on an IABP rolls in, you're already a nurse short, and guess what? It's visiting time!!!!!

uh, IF your facility can cost cut, and NOT affect patient care, PLEASE let us know HOW they did it... my hospital could learn a thing or two.

For me, the hardest part is keeping an upbeat attitude, low morale during layoff's was even harder for me than working harder.

wish you well.

We have had no layoffs YET...and are working with bare minimum staffing for the most part..the entire health care system is just a big ole messss..just when you think it can't get worse..it does...always short on supplies ,and IF you can find the item needed you have to run around to all the floors to find it..pt just last night complaining we didn't have any 'snacks'..yanno it's bad when you bring a big jug of OJ and crackers with you to work so your diabetics can have an HS snack....and is it just me? or hasn't the media/everyone been talking about the nursing shortage for sooooo long...now layoffs?? I know I'm simple minded but I just don't get it. And nimbex..it's not just you..it is hard to keep a positive attitude under present conditions. Sad, but I think it's only going to get worse instead of better.

Specializes in Government.

We'll be having some state RN employees laid off here in WI due to budget cuts...programs closed.

If you'll let me go into the "way back" machine, I was downsized hours in 1992 because of a supposed nursing glut. Lost full time status and benefits when I was forced to go to a .8 FTE.

Specializes in Critical Care.

And the wheel continues to turn doesn't it, ok first the cutbacks, then more patients, then a even greater shortage, no ancillary staff, you know the nurse can do it all. Try to get rid of agency with the in house agency that never works because all regular staff wants to go there and they won't let them. Leads to more money for agency and staff eventually just to keep minimal staffing. In the mean time they will pay millions to outside consulting firms to try and figure out what we all know already.

I just finished a seasonal contract with an HMA Hospital in Sebastian, Fl. and when the seasonal/travelers were gone that is it....the administration has told us HMA is in trouble and having layoff's at some facilities...ours was "ok" but we too had to tighten the belt to help the other facilities...

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