hiring freeze

[ohmeowzer RN]

my friend applied for a RN position at my hospital , and my nurse manager just called and told me the hospital is having a hiring freeze for RN's and they are not hiring any more CNA's. it is due to the economy. i have been a nurse a long time and have never heard of this before. we still have sick people coming into our ER , but from what my nurse manager said the staff stays the same. our floor is very stable and turnover is slow.... does anyone see any effects of the slowing economy in their hospital? i find this disheartening for all the new grads looking for jobs. by the way i work in a big city and we have alot of tourists... so i am surprised....

[lvnandmomx3]

The hospital I worked for had hiring freezes every 6 months it seemed like. They eventually closed the hospital down permanetly. That is how I got to go to school, retraining via unemployment........

[abbaking]

My unit is right now having a hiring freeze for RN's and CNA's. Yes, the economy is basicaly in a recession (capitol hill needs to get real), and out hospital is going thru hell because of it. We have high acuity patients and minimal staffing. You are LUCKY on NOC shift to have 6 patients (all tele) and the CNA has 23 patients to care for by themself.

[travel920]

Reducing the number of hospitals is a way to decrease administrative jobs and building overhead "if" there are beds available elsewhere. That would not necessarily mean that nursing jobs would decrease unless nurses are willing to take on higher ratios. It would mean dislocating nurses from one facility closing to one that stays open with increased census.

Just curious, how does the Governor have the authority to shut down a hospital?

husband of the nurse :-)

[MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN]

My understanding is that state funding has been used to float the underinsured and the uninsured at certain hospitals. If funding is cut, or withdrawn, a decision is made (business decision)to close the facility.

We have had full census for the past year, just because a hospital has 700 + bed capacity does not mean they are allowed to run at full capacity(even with staffing). There is capacity certification by the state, just like an elevator.

We haven't seen anything yet!

Maisy

[travel920]

My understanding is that state funding has been used to float the underinsured and the uninsured at certain hospitals. If funding is cut, or withdrawn, a decision is made (business decision)to close the facility.

We have had full census for the past year, just because a hospital has 700 + bed capacity does not mean they are allowed to run at full capacity(even with staffing). There is capacity certification by the state, just like an elevator.

We haven't seen anything yet!

Maisy

Got it. Thank you. I guess that means those areas with a heavy census of people who can't afford to go to a primary care physician or get insurance will be underserved. Since my wife got into Nursing, I have been trying to understand at least "some" of the issues with health care delivery in this country (and elsewhere). What a convoluted nightmare.

Husband of the Nurse

[barefootlady, ADN, RN]

Hiring freezes, freezes in pay, reduced benefits are all starting to happen in many areas where economy is pits. SIL says his mother in Detroit has taken a hit at her facility.