msdttob

Dear redd0711 I am glad to hear your compliments on your ceo's. It is encouraging. I also have a boss who is willing to be flexible w/ my work hrs I am at present able to have 5d off in a row almost every wk. & still maintain on prt time status. However, I am sure that the shortage has not affected this region as yet. We do have a couple of RN's just about 8 yrs older than myself who have paid their dues & are ready to slash their work hrs. but on the other hand there are a couple of RN's on noc shift who are complaining that they are not getting enough hrs because there are to many RN's on night shift. These are good nurses & generally very nice people but they are concerned about pay. I offered to give up an 8 hr shift once a month so that one of our very talented new BSN grads could get some more hrs.I do not mind doing this at the present. Also the slow down in the economy may affect how quickly the hospitals jump in to start offering such positive draws as Baylor which I'd really like to see come back but I'm not holding my breath. I hope that you are sucessful in attracting nurses. Good luck in your new position. Thank you for your response.

Dear Clarice, I wonder if mijourney is the one who has just hit the target right on the mark. That this is really a balancing act to keep the vendors & the stockholders happy. I believe you that you are budgeted for great nurse to patient ratio but I wonder what got the hospital to the point where only a handful of nurses would actually apply. It seems there is no real draw for people who would be put in the postion of a 2nd shift where the RN has 12 pts & no nursing assistant. This seems to be more the running operation of things than not. Why would someone want to go into a situation concerned that they may be promised great working conditions w/ no danger to the patients or their liscense only to experperience what mijoourney has described? A draw to nursing would have to be a correct show of management's willingness to follow through on the sales pitches they make to prospective RNs

Dear jt, I hope that administrators across the country are made aware of the econimic nuances at your hospital. I am guessing they were trying to save money by not having to dole out the expense for orientation training & the benifits packages that are necessary for employees to have. Apparently financially this did not work out for them. I wonder if all 55 positions are posted. Thank-you for your response

Dear mustangsheba, I believe every word of your reply & I find it very discouraging. It is however most likely going to be the scenario that is more the norm than not. I'm not sure I see a positive upside to this unfolding dilema either. Thank-you for your response.

PPL Thank you for your response. I'm located in the mid SouthEast. The site has been updated. There are no openings at present. It is likely the shortage has not impacted this region as yet.

The frustration in your reply is evident & very understandable. I was curious because I had gone onto our online jobs listings site & there were no openings for any RN's anywhere in our system. This includes 2 large hospitals a 350 bed & a 300 bed hospital; plus several satillite clinics & at least 2 smaller 100 - 150 bed facilities. Not only is there a nursing shortage but administration ,at least in this area, does not seem to want to address it. I agree with you that these inadequate conditions for appropriate patient care.

Actually I saw the story on CBS after I posted this question. However,I unfortunately do not believe it is going to have much of an impact on the way things are going to transpire. I hope & pray w/ all my heart that you find some way to stay in nursing on a clinical level. You are thoughtful & insightful & I would venture to say you are that way in your work as well. I am afraid though that with the economy & political winds they are, we are in for worse. I believe this CEO gets his money by making staffing as lean as he legally possibly can. With the way things are now & probably going to be he is going to continue to be rewarded for just that. I am coming to see that this is the case, as I found that there were no job openings for RN's where I work. Thank-you for your response [This message has been edited by msdttob (edited December 29, 2000).]

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I was recently online to our job postings & there were no job openings for RN's. I found that rather odd in light of what is going on around the country.I was looking to possibly transfere within my present work setting. I work part time as an RN & I was curious to see what else was available. In view of the frustration noted in your response,I find the lack of RN openings @ my hospital & in our entire local network of systems even more puzzling. I do agree with you about the legalities & their impact on liscensure & the impact as well on appropriate patient care. [This message has been edited by msdttob (edited December 29, 2000).] [This message has been edited by msdttob (edited December 29, 2000).] [This message has been edited by msdttob (edited January 03, 2001).]

Is there still a nursing shortage? If so where & how has it affected staffing & hours?