We had a meeting this morning about the current state of affairs at our hospital. Our administrator looked pale, bags under his eyes and seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders.
He said that our hospital has to find a way to reduce an 18 million dollar debt. No money will be used for traveling expenses, will be a total hiring freeze, existing contracts at all levels, especially ones that are not income generating. Only purchases related to direct patient care will be honored, pending consultation contracts to be abandoned, and even the employees that are attending school to further their educations (say LPN to RN, RN to BSN) may not be able to obtain a position unless they are submitted through the Vacancy Boards...no more automatic placement. and may not even be able to complete their programs. The only positions available for promotion will be from openings based on results of termination due to disciplinary actions. In addition, recently, before this announcement, about three weeks ago, people that were offered jobs...they were told to call these poor people back and tell them that there are no positions available. I know many of them were devastated to count on this during such a bad time to have it revolked like a carpet being pulled from under them. I am sure that the agency people will disappear and the brunt of the work will be placed on us incumbant nurses.
Salary increases are frozen, we have to review how to generate funds due to decreased payment through Medicaid and health insurance. There may be layoffs, but they are desperately trying to prevent that. And then, he said "Merry Christmas". Wonderful...
I am not worried about losing my job per se...I have been there 13 years, but this is painful. I do wonder, however, if I would be bumped back to being a PCA. My seniority from the date of hire does not change...they have to retain our positions to the last position we had if it comes down to it. However, in most cases, in civil service, direct patient care (nurses in particular), are the LAST to go. But I was looking at the faces of the managers, clerks, housekeeping, dietary aides, etc...and wondering if we will all be together within the next few years. Many of the RNs that used to be LPNs are reinstating their LPN licenses in case they have to fight to remain there, or even to search for something else...this is a sad moment for the entire nation.
