Got the pink slip!! Job market fears

[IndianaHH]

The homehealth care agency just laid off 3 RNs, myself included. I have 2 more days to work before it takes affect. I have struggled to keep a positive attitude, which for the most part I've kept.

How are others coping with the lay off? Until today I wasn't so nervous, now looking at the websites it seem only

ER, ICU position on midnights is all that is available. I haven't work ER in 30 yrs, never ICU.

The company faults the cuts in Medicare/Insurance for the lay offs, the rumor mill is the agency may not last until the end of the year.

Are other agencies being affected by all the political posturing? How does the homehealth job market look in other parts of the country?

[caliotter3]

They are cutting wage rates in my neck of the woods and it is getting harder to keep working. I just went to two new employers because the two agencies I've been with for two years can't keep me working and I live in a large metropolitan area. Things are rough all over.

[IndianaHH]

May I ask.. where is your neck of the woods?

[caliotter3]

Los Angeles.

[caliotter3]

This is a good employment website: http://www.indeed.com. And if you look at http://www.ultimatenurse.com, you will find that they have been posting gads and gads of travel nurse jobs there for several days. You can take a travel nurse position in your home town or nearby. Lots of them are for home health and RN positions. They are tempting. Good luck.

[IndianaHH]

Thanks. Im going to take a day or two to be bummed. Then start my search.

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

You are in the epicenter to the nursing crisis. With the budget cut backs you are going to be hit first.

[Daysleeper]

The home health agency I worked for back in Virginia is in trouble too from what I hear. They are hospital based and the hospital just dumped a ton of money into the agency to try and get profits up. They have been losing money for years and I hear that if they don't get start making money then they are going to cut the department. It's a shame too because they have the highest employee AND patient satisfaction rates in the entire facility (98% for patient satisfaction!).

Good luck with your job search. I am searching too but out of choice--I took an inpatient job and HATE it. I want home health or private duty. I can't take the hospital environment anymore--it's awful!