Opinions, please: "Weeding Out"

Well, we've been told that our hospital vacancy rate is less than 1/3 of the rest of the state. So we can begin to "weed out" less desirable employees.

What do you think?

[fergus51]

So that you can have just as high of a vacancy rate? I don't understand the logic there. I think bad employees should always be weeded out, but that seems like a really odd comment. What do they mean by "less desirable"?

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

I was too shocked to ask. Our usual workplace culture is very laid-back, very family-oriented, but at the same time, it is possible to screw up badly enough, often enough, to get fired.

[hypnotic_nurse]

Less desirable -- those who make more money?

The ones the docs think aren't as cute?

Those who won't work holidays?

What a weird way to put that!

[weetziebat]

These are employees who are desirable enough to work when the hospital needs them, but now suddenly can be booted out? And then they wonder why staff has no loyalty. That comment certainly isn't very family-oriented, is it?

[Furball]

That's disgusting! If someone is incompetent they should be fired even if your vacancy rate is 50%! :angryfire

[mattsmom81]

Typical.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Do they even bother to define "less desireable"....I would love to know what it means myself.........

they best tread carefully here, esp if in a unionized environment.

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

I'm gathering that they mean people who complain incessantly, aren't real "team players," things like that.

What was said was, "We can afford to be choosy now." (Like we weren't before? :uhoh21: )

My concern comes in because it's not like we keep poor fits hanging around anyway. Those who don't really fit tend to weed themselves out. And we still have a 4% vacancy rate, so we're still not quite complete, either.

I've seen the vacancy rate for nurses ebb and flow over the years, but I've never worked in a place that had too much help.

[SmilingBluEyes]

I think this is a harbinger of trouble.....jmo. Sounds as if they are "looking for reasons" here. I would be worried in your place.

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

Yeah, I suppose so, especially since this is an "at-will" state.

But curiously, I'm not.

They really should do their homework on the nursing shortage, because that's a fact that isn't going away anytime soon. But experienced nurses are going to retire or leave for less strenuous jobs, especially in the coming years.

It's still a seller's market, and I still have a brain attached to this warm body.