Low Census Mandatory Time off

[MichelRN]

I work in a small hospital on a medical floor, for the last few months we have had a very low census. The administration has decided to staff with the bare minimum staff required. We can not have more than 4 nurses unless the census is 27. Administration is also telling us that census is low all over the state ( Indiana) and all over the nation so other hospitals are doing the same thing. I find this really hard to believe given the ads for travel nurses, agency nurses and bonuses I see offered all the time. Can anyone tell me if their hospital is experiencing the same thing? Thanks