How are local hospital's are doing

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I read an article on yahoo finance about hospital struggles related to the economy and credit problems. How much worse does it need to be before progressing beyond hiring freezes and nurse call offs?

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081227/meltdown_hospitals.html

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

I heard that in Phoenix they are not doing badly just making sure that the next year they keep a tight reign on budgets.

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Many are putting heavy money expansion plans on hold. Also trying to cutback on expenses by tightening costs, hiring freeze, postponing non-essential initiatives (i.e.: software upgrades and the like). Market has gotten very tight for nurses without experience. Many older nurses remember the "days" back in the early 1980s when they had to work Med-Surg and be grateful just to have a job. Despite RN shortage, seems like we are back in a similar time frame. Shortage seems to be not of sick people but of those who can pay for their care. Every unemployed person may likely represent someone with health insurance, often for their family, that can no longer pay hospital bills. Hospitals will feel that full force with cancelled elective procedures and admitting "train wrecks" via ED that they cannot turn away.

Things will get better - it will just take lots of time and patience.

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That's if the whole system doesnt completely collapse first....which it inevitably will.

Stopnik, have you heard of Jim Cooper? He's a Rep. from Tennessee who gives a speech about about the future of healthcare; another poster from this site vicariously clued me into him. His presentations are kind of long, but entertaining; one can be found on Youtube.

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That's if the whole system doesnt completely collapse first....which it inevitably will.

Stopnik, have you heard of Jim Cooper? He's a Rep. from Tennessee who gives a speech about about the future of healthcare; another poster from this site vicariously clued me into him. His presentations are kind of long, but entertaining; one can be found on Youtube.

I agree with you on the total collapse. If Cooper is going to drone on about how flexible savings accounts will save healthcare (a common theme from politicians from that part of the country) I'll pass!

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He decries HSA's and the tax breaks to purchase healthcare. Cooper advocates people realizing that healthcare isn't free and expecting to pay 30% of your income on housing and only 5% on healthcare while demanding the "best" is naive... Its funny how Madoff is going to jail for running a Ponzi scheme, but yet the government gets to run the largest one through medicare and no one is being held accountable.

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He decries HSA's and the tax breaks to purchase healthcare. Cooper advocates people realizing that healthcare isn't free and expecting to pay 30% of your income on housing and only 5% on healthcare while demanding the "best" is naive... Its funny how Madoff is going to jail for running a Ponzi scheme, but yet the government gets to run the largest one through medicare and no one is being held accountable.

Cool...I'll lend an ear so long as it is not the southern-fried drivel typical from many politicians in that part of the US.

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for those of us not in school yet, or just beginning RN school, do we have much to worry about? In 2-4 years it's possible things may turn around. I ask, because there are two separate threads on new grads and not finding work. I am hoping this will not be the case in a few years...maybe Im naive???

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It is not surprising that new grads are having trouble finding jobs. The easiest way for hospitals to immediately control costs is through hiring. So they are trying to do more with existing staff. One year ago you could go to virtually any unit as a new grad - things are definitely getting tighter today.

No one can accurately state what the sittuation will be in 3-4 years. I would be very wealthy if I had that kind of vision. My gut says that things will have turned around to some degree by then. But at the end of the day - no one knows for sure. Best thing is to get into a program, get the degree, and then hope there is a job. Nursing is a transient field by nature - especially in AZ. People are always quiting jobs, moving, getting pregnant, etc. At a base level - there will always be a healthy demand in the long-term.

I am also wondering how long Banner will continue to operate their own nursing program - whether supply will exceed demand...

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And the answer...not long at the current level....they've already talk to us about their projections between now and 2010 and supply will definately exceed demand.....good news though, I have a job when I graduate! :D

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And the answer...not long at the current level....they've already talk to us about their projections between now and 2010 and supply will definately exceed demand.....good news though, I have a job when I graduate! :D

So, you are saying this specifically about the Banner program? How can this nursing shortage be turned around so quickly? By the way, when do you graduate?

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A friend working for banner told me his hospital couldn't hire their new graduating class. Fortunately phoenix children's had openings, assumed their contracts, and made offers to most.

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