I took me mom out for her birthday to a fairly nice resturant for lunch. Sitting behind us were a fairly well dressed man and woman about my age. I overheard a conversation that I didn't expect to hear in a public place. The man said to the woman, "People have to get used to the idea that healthcare is a business. One of the techniques that businesses use to cut cost is to jetison long time workers with high salaries. Some people think that is inhuman but it is a perfectly acceptable business practice, the business of business is to make money." She said "surely you don't mean my facility?" He said, "yes I mean your facility!" She protested that they had high turnover as it was. He said "yes that is a good thing about nursing homes and hospitals, they experience a fairly rapid turnover and it keeps wages down. However, there is always the odd employee that stays on for years and they are the ones you have to target." At that point I made a gagging noise and said to my mom, "come on mom, I have lost my appetite". Now this happened last Thursday and I didn't post it until today because I have been wondering if people would believe me. First of all, I know these conversation take place but I assumed they took place behind closed doors. Second of all, what is the chance of a person as radical as I am overhearing something like this, I could hardly believe it myself. A 100 nasty remarks came into my mind but I said nothing because it would have made a seen and they would have probably called the cops. I swear I heard this conversation and I tried to repeat it here word for word, they did not name any names.
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
op: i believe your story.... i learned to play these games in graduate school. just know that not everyone is that way... some people, like myself, find it to be unethical and a waste of money to get rid of a productive educated worker even if he/she makes more then two new people. unfortunately, many who run departments or companies are too short sided and are too poor at math to determine the benefits of keeping high earners rather then hiring two to three new people.
my advice is if you want to be a bedside nurse most of your career become either an independent contractor (traveler) or work more then one job to increase job security. be sure to hop around every few years too to give your self more options as well.
Hospital I used to work at ran off all the experienced RNs because they could pay new grad LPNs half the salary. And they only needed enough RNs to have a charge on each floor for each shift, so why bother trying to keep expensive workers?
Because they could do it, a small employer of mine had one LVN on night shift and no RN at all. They said "use your own judgment" and "call the ADON at home" if there were any problems. However, when calling the acting DON, one would get her answering machine. Now that is saving money.
op: i believe your story.... i learned to play these games in graduate school. just know that not everyone is that way... some people, like myself, find it to be unethical and a waste of money to get rid of a productive educated worker even if he/she makes more then two new people. unfortunately, many who run departments or companies are too short sided and are too poor at math to determine the benefits of keeping high earners rather then hiring two to three new people.
my advice is if you want to be a bedside nurse most of your career become either an independent contractor (traveler) or work more then one job to increase job security. be sure to hop around every few years too to give your self more options as well.
i have been on the recieving end of these plots. i always guessed exactly what managment people were up to just by watching their dirty tricks. still it left me shaking to hear it actually being said. me and my mom had just sat down and had ordered our drinks but had not ordered food. i said, "lets pay for our drinks and leave, i am feeling quite ill". as we were leaving i heard the woman protesting again about worker shortages. the man said something to the effect that the country was in the middle of an economic downturn and cheaper workers were easier to get and that the time was right to take action. that was the last thing i heard as i was walking out.:barf01:
I don't work in health care, I work in the IT industry.
My company has done this once a few years back to all its IT employees. They reorganized and basically said every one had to reapply for their jobs. The jobs reoffered back to the IT employees for some came at a 50% pay cut.
They have recently announced that they will be reorganizing again and every one has to reapply once more…
They have also started hiring only contractors with no intention of even offering full time employment. This way they don’t have to pay any benefits and can keep the wages down…
I don't work in health care, I work in the IT industry.
My company has done this once a few years back to all its IT employees. They reorganized and basically said every one had to reapply for their jobs. The jobs reoffered back to the IT employees for some came at a 50% pay cut.
They have recently announced that they will be reorganizing again and every one has to reapply once more...
They have also started hiring only contractors with no intention of even offering full time employment. This way they don't have to pay any benefits and can keep the wages down...
It makes me sad and angry...
When workers in this country refuse to work under those conditions the employer will go to congress and beg for more visas because no one is avaliable here.
When workers in this country refuse to work under those conditions the employer will go to congress and beg for more visas because no one is avaliable here.
Why bother with that when you can ship all your work overseas...
I wonder what we are going to do in this country when there is no one left working...
I wish hospitals understood that veteran nurses are necessary to teach and guide the new grads they hire. I was happy to see nurses of all ages at the facility I will be working at. I will be relying on them for help and guidance for my orientation and beyond.
so sad but all so true. when i was in management a wide sweep was made downsizing staff and when i refused to work under their new job description i was blackballed from moving to a floor position. the administrator told me that it is usually better if all of the old employees leave because the new ones won't complain about something they never knew existed. yep, my jaw hit the floor on that note. i do enjoy a change of scenery. it's true that my wages have increased much faster than other nurses but i'm tired of playing this game.
This happens ALL the time. It's called age discrimination!!! My mom was let go for the same reasons. The hospital was having financial problems and their solution was to get rid of all the old-timers there. Funny how in all these scenarios NONE of the folks in upper management cut their salaries or lay off their ancillary ppl. People with titles that you have NO idea what they do-much less what they get paid.
I have learned also that dedication and committment to a hospital does not protect you from getting shafted. Unions are only as helpful as the people you have placed in their positions.
hmm.... I'm wondering what part of the country you're in & if those were MY managers you overhead!! Call it paranoia, but I've heard/seen this all too often. An experienced, dedicated worker w/a good work ethic is "let go" for some bogus reason- we all know it's b/c she was at the top of the pay scale. I guess admin. sees it as more "cost-effective" to have the liability of younger inexperienced nurses at a lower rate, than the reliability of an experienced, efficient nurse. What's ironic, is some of these "highly paid" employees were making less than $5/hr more than the new hires!! Oh, there's also the chance of using your insurance more as you get older too- heaven forbid you actually USE your health coverage!! - never mind you may be healthier than the obese smoking drinking partying 25 yr old!! (not to mention our younger employees call in a lot more, not just for themselves, but sick children too!) :spbox:
Call it paranoia, but I've heard/seen this all too often. An experienced, dedicated worker w/a good work ethic is "let go" for some bogus reason- we all know it's b/c she was at the top of the pay scale. I guess admin. sees it as more "cost-effective" to have the liability of younger inexperienced nurses at a lower rate, than the reliability of an experienced, efficient nurse. What's ironic, is some of these "highly paid" employees were making less than $5/hr more than the new hires!! Oh, there's also the chance of using your insurance more as you get older too- heaven forbid you actually USE your health coverage!! - never mind you may be healthier than the obese smoking drinking partying 25 yr old!! (not to mention our younger employees call in a lot more, not just for themselves, but sick children too!) :spbox:
SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN
3,376 Posts
op: i believe your story.... i learned to play these games in graduate school. just know that not everyone is that way... some people, like myself, find it to be unethical and a waste of money to get rid of a productive educated worker even if he/she makes more then two new people. unfortunately, many who run departments or companies are too short sided and are too poor at math to determine the benefits of keeping high earners rather then hiring two to three new people.
my advice is if you want to be a bedside nurse most of your career become either an independent contractor (traveler) or work more then one job to increase job security. be sure to hop around every few years too to give your self more options as well.