No.California Kaiser canceling contracts

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In early October I had a contract canceled by Kaiser Oakland...Nursefinders, the Kaiser traveler middleman then tried to salvage something in the area for me. Found a position for me in the North Bay. Now this facility (and others?)canceled all (24) new travel assignments probably for the duration of the year, per regional direction. The economy seems to be an evermore widespread problem.:uhoh21:

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Specializes in ICU.

That sucks. I am starting in a Kaiser facility in West LA in mid November, so I hope that doesnt happen to me.

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, MICU,Tele. PCU, IMC.

I've heard several stories like that, most with Kaiser. They tend to cancel alot!

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Specializes in ICU.

How soon prior to your start date are they cancelling?

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Specializes in ICU/PACU.

I have heard to never go with a Kaiser hospital, my recruiter told me some bad things about Kaiser so am steering clear.

You'll find another job in Cali, good luck with everything, hope it gets better for you.

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This happened to me in September after I already moved in. My company had to start threating legal action. Kaiser and the middleman don't realy care about how they treat people. They aren't travel nurse friendly. You are nothing but a disposable product not a person. They treat you like crap even though the amount of travel nurses on the shift I work is almost 50 percent. This should tell you were nurses rank in the Kaiser system. They like to find anything to cancel your contract but they don't have enough nurses. We are helping them out why treat us bad. I will never work at a Kaiser again. I will also never have their insurance, since they can't treat nurses better.:banghead:

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this happened twice, different facilities, just days before the start of the contract. Both times I had to find out on my own when doing a 'hi-how-are-ya' with the manager. I'm learning that the word 'contract' has one meaning for nurses and another for facilities.

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Specializes in PCU/Tele.

(reposting this info from a different thread)

Unsubstantiated...but interesting rumor...

I heard that Kaiser Permanente (Insurance provider) has lost tons of premium payers in Northern Cali. Specifically (to name just 2 of several) Yahoo laid off >1000 workers and Mervyns stores will be closing and laying off all of their employees...these companies use Kaiser as their insurance product for their employees. With a significant decline in the number of Kaiser insured patients, travel contracts with Kaiser hospitals have been cancelled, or not renewed. I've spoke with several recruiters who have travelers in that dreaded stranded state... having accepted the contract and turned down others, only to have your contract cancelled, and all those turned down are gone, baby, gone!

Once again, the above Kaiser situation is unsubstantiated, but I did find it interesting and worth sharing. Heard it from a recruiter that works for the agency that serves as Kaiser's primary vender for travel nurses.

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I asked a recruiter with HRN since they do a lot of Kaiser and she had heard that but had not had that happen with their contracts so far...maybe check with HRN for CA jobs?? they have other as well, not just Kaiser

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That sounds like a reasonable explanation. Someone else suggested that census has been low and no signs yet of the flu, so cutting travelers seems like 'good business sense.'

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If you are a traveler in Northern CA don't make any mistakes. I made one when I didn't catch a med ordered on previous shift wasn't given. The manager told me. Kaiser feels no loyalty to travelers. Since census is low they aren't allowing any mistakes and will cancel a traveler's contract.

Even though they are asking agency for contracts, the hospitals have made it known that they are trying to find ways to cancel contract.

I made a mistake and have to take the fall. If you find a nurse that has never made a mistake, I would be shocked.

Right now the travelers are being put through a higher and unreasonable standard. Why not instead contact the agency with 2 weeks notice, that contracts have to be cancelled. Give the agency time to find us another job. Why make us go through a living hell, wondering one day to the next what will happen. Don't ruin someone career. I'm living with constant uncertianity. My house is rented in Kansas to someone. My son and I can end up homeless. The managment at Kaiser said to my face that they really don't care about travelers. Ironically,

I have worked shifts when over half the staff was travelers.

I'm really scared. Don't know what going to happen to me. My agency said we will worry about things when they come down. I will need a job right away. The economy is bad.

Has anyone ever had a contract get cancelled due to a mistake. How hard is it to get a new contract?:uhoh21::nurse:

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Finished contract with Kaiser in Northern Cali in Sept, and had a contract at Kaiser SF at the beginning of Nov, but was canceled with a comforting 3 day notice :angryfire - Due to low cencus/economy from previous posts mentioned above. During all that down time, for over a month now, I have not been able to find pt, temp, per diem, or full time positions at any hospital in the Bay Area now, even though hospitals are advertising for RN positions. I went to a couple of job fairs. One at St. Francis and over 200 people showed up for an ICU position. Waited 3 1/2 hours for an interview. I can't find anything in this area. What is even more fustrating to me. Is that every hospital I come across have positions opened, but only if you are already employed by them. Its like some kind of nursing mafia going on.

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