Low Census??

It may be possible that in some areas the economy is adversely affecting the census. If folks have lost their insurance or their jobs they will not be using medical services unless urgent.

I'm at a small private hospital in Northern California on a med-surg and nurses have been called off left and right because of the low census. People are definitely nervous and I feel bad for the new grads because the situation isn't getting better at all.

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....

I live in Southern Alabama and I have only worked 30 hours in the last 2 weeks. I luckily have a little holiday pay coming, but I am still nervous about how bad this check is gonna look!

lucky you for those of you that are getting to work.. My unit (neonatal ICU) has been slow the past year, with the last 6 months the worst... The hospital is trying to find creative ways to keep us on staff, but for how long I dont' know.. We are calling off at least 2-3 nurse's a shift....

I was working 36-48 hours a week till Mid June. Balt/DC Metro area. July I worked 62 hours for the MONTH. August I went to Utah for 4 weeks, worked more than 40 hours a week in Salt Lake City. Came home Sept was slow, started picking up end of Sept and Oct. Finally after 14 months I landed a PERMANENT PT Benefited position with opportunity to work additional shifts starting Dec 1st. It is the economy, and poor planning on administration not hiring and orieniting new grads in lean summer times, now they are working short constantly.

No, it's not that way here.

Want some hours? You can come work in my crazy, overflowing hospital. We have had no beds for weeks on end!

Cancel, cancel, cancel.

Went to a beach resort area around Labor Day, it was like a ghost town.

I think people are not heading south for vacations due to the economy.

Wonder if the snow birds will all stay home as well, due to the economy?

It has been super busy here in central California. We are bulging at the seams!

VA Manhattan has been busy too! Slow in summer but busy in the winter.

We are consistently seeing more pts every month. My director will be getting a great bonus.