RN's getting laid off???

[lockerRN]

I just heard at my school yesterday that RN's in our area hospital's are getting laid off! I have never heard of RN's out of work. How is it in your area? Anyone ever heard of this happening? I have to say, this is kind of discouraging information while your struggling through all the pre reqs and soon nursing school.

TIA!

[AtomicWoman]

Because of the idea that as long as they have people sometimes they'll get sick and need professional help?

I know many health care workers (including nurses) who have worked through several economic downturns - some are now retired from careers in health care. That cannot be said for many people who worked in non-healthcare fields.

Nursing isn't going away just because the economy is in a down cycle. The opportunities to work in the exact hospital and department of choice under exact conditions and hours of choice at top dollar might not be as plentiful but the work will be there.

My point was that nursing is not "recession-proof". It's misleading to tell nursing students it is. Yes, nursing jobs may be somewhat insulated from economic ups and downs, but they are by no means "recession-proof". Just ask all the nurses who've gotten laid off when hospitals crumbled under the weight of all the charity care they're expected to render. If you're an ER nurse, you might feel pretty secure in your job right now. If you're a nurse working in bariatric surgery, or plastic surgery or any number of other surgical specialties, you might not feel your job is very "recession-proof". That's all I'm trying to say. Let's go into nursing with our eyes open and look for ways to work in areas of health-care that are less prone to economic ups and downs.

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

Travel and agency jobs are way down, and the pay has dropped, as well.

[girl.w/useless.b.a.]

I think nursing, like all jobs, really depends on where you want to live. If you're willing to live in slightly less...popular...areas, the jobs are numerous. The hospital in my hometown has 94 job openings. But the openings are occasionally for weird hours, and it's in the suburbs...in the desert.

Flexibility is key, for nursing and any other job. People like me - no family obligations and willing to relocate - will always be able to find jobs. But it gets more difficult when you're already settled in a location or you really love a location. Anyway...that's why the layoffs don't make me nervous.

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

i

flexibility is key, for nursing and any other job. people like me - no family obligations and willing to relocate - will always be able to find jobs. but it gets more difficult when you're already settled in a location or you really love a location. anyway...that's why the layoffs don't make me nervous.

flexibility is certainly key! however, i want to point out one tiny flaw in your post and that is just because positions are posted by hr on a hospital's website does not mean that they are in a hurry to fill them or that they will try to fill them at all!!! there are many positions posted on my hospital's website that get canceled and reposted all the time. unless you are on the inside you will think my hospital is actively searching and would be grateful to hire just about anyone. this is simply not the case.

sometimes there are openings for an individual who is already internal and a hiring manager has no interest in taking others. other times positions are opened just to attract applicants just in case there may be an opening in the future eventhough currently there are no openings (this is not posted of course). this is why when people mention reading openings on websites i don't think anything of them... i am no longer surprised that interested rns and new grads apply for multiple jobs and never receive a call back.

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

One hospital closure in my area- lots of nurses out of work.

[Amanda1985]

I know Kaiser in Northern Ca is on a hiring freeze, not sure if it includes nurses.

When I look for jobs I see a lot of nurses, but not a lot for new grads (if any).

[Helping in Virginia]

Think about it. People are loosing jobs and with jobs they loose their insurance. No one to pay the bill. We have had lay offs and cut backs off and on for the last three years. There is no overtime or per diem work in the area and travel nurses are NEVER seen anymore. My employeer keeps saying "We will do everything we can to avoid laying off staff." We have ALL had a freeze on wages for two years. While I don't healthcare will take as big of a hit...I do think nurse to patient ratios can get rather high. This is a good time to contact your professional organizations and let them know. We want mandated nurse to patient ratios for safety. It's my title that is on the line and I worked hard for it!

[ooomonkeys]

Not much to worry about, just like any lay off it's is most likely the under-performing employees that are getting the boot.