Low Census??

[2bTraumaRN2008]

Just wondering if everyone across the board is suffering from "low census?" We dropped in the summer which is typical, but it has not picked up one bit......2-3 nurses being called off daily. Wondering if it's economy related???

I feel like I need to look for a new job, but I'm afraid it's everywhere...

Any thoughts/comments are appreciated.

[Leelee2]

Frequent low census, have to use PTO too! Average 2 nurses a shift, usually daily.

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

up and down with my hospital outside of Seattle. It seems to cycle in the week. I must work the days that it seems to stay constant with surgeries. I have been called off once this month.

Other nurses not so lucky. 3 days in the month and 12 hr shifts too.

We are hoping we win a low census fund for our floor in negotiations.

[ZippyGBR, BSN, RN]

I got called off this AM. First time for me in months, but some of my coworkers are continuously being called off. We have stayed busy all year until just recently. I'm just waiting to see what happens with healthcare reform. I think it may get much worse....

be interested to see how increasing access and roping in the early discharge excesses of some of the insurers will reduce bed days ?

this assumes that you aren't in an area with an excess of acute beds and plenty of sub acute / intermediate beds

[2bTraumaRN2008]

We have been busy all summer here in VA resulting in me only being called off, I think twice and this was on weekends when our census is usually a tad less. Last year was the complete opposite, barely worked. Now, suddenly these last two weeks we have slowed down dramatically, don't know why. Our staff is getting called off left and right.

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

We've seen less of our major abdominal surgeries this summer and more med overflow, ortho cases, short stay. Our nurse manager has drummed up (stole from another unit)some more business for us by getting another surgeons group to admit to our floor. We've seen all types of patients the past 6 months which is not usually the case as we're usually full of our surgeries.

We have all had to float more this past summer, if another unit is short or ED busy no one is sent home. I put myself on the wants off list EVERYDAY this summer and got to go home once on standby only to be called back in an hour later.

[BellaInBlueScrubsRN]

Work in an ICU in Indiana. They have called me everyday for the two weeks asking if I want to take call/be called off. Now they are doing mandatory put on call/call off. Its crazy

[Fribblet]

It's been a record breaking year in both volume and acuity in the two ERs in two different states I've worked in.