With all the economic destress, you come into work to be told that we have a hiring freeze. Yes that is right, we are not hiring anyone at  all. We have to buckle down because we are right this moment do not have the money to do anything. Well is that not just great. The country as a whole is in a depression to eb told the nursing is at a slump too.

Wow hiring freeze? That sucks! I guess you could look at it this way, plenty of overtime! I could really use some of that right now. Unless you don't or can't work extra hours. What do they do then? Work short? That could be dangerous!

This is happening in my area too.

Not a good situation for a New Grad looking for employment, like myself.

callbellcboy says ...

It is a mystery to me how anyplace could put a freeze on hiring nurses when they are already short-handed. Clean out those offices in HR first, or marketing. You know what I mean? I work all weekend and don't see any of those people around, and things seem to run just fine without them. Let them fill in and empty out bedpans and clean up barf and see how fast the "freeze" thaws out!

Brilliant thought there.   Love it and practical.   How in the world can they cut short the hours of the people who perform the work that allows the facility to earn the revenue........The md's too, of course, lol.  I know there are alot of politics in these admin folk.  I remember back in the late 90's, the ceo of the facility I was working in <it was the only facility that treated indigent patients, it was the facility the 'private t hospitals' shipped patietnts to once they were stable> was crucified  him in the papers because his annual salary was $395k/annual.  After that, the facility started doing alot of renovations and suddenly it was also one of the 'for profit' facilities.  How many other ceo's of hospitals are there who make cash like this? This cash could be the salaries for necessary people like  nurses, techs, cna's, housekeepers, food service folk....................you get the picture.  Something is rotten in Denmark. 

Nursejenny1310 says ...

Well it just hit us. We were told NO MORE OT. If we are short staffed tough cookies. No one gets extra hours and because we have 10 empty beds ( in the whole facility) the DNS is making everyone take turns in taking half a day off. Can't use sick pay for those days either. But we sure can waste 4 vacation hours if we want. What a joke!

Yup, I got the same speech recently too.  I have enough sick time saved up so I could donate several organs......and get paid.......i did do the paperwork for sick time to take my mom to an outpatient surgery recently..........due to an emergency at work, I pulled an extra 4 hrs one day, same person who calls in sick all the time called in again; so bam.............I only got the 4 hrs of sick pay, keeps the OT off the books.  Its a scam.  What about the nurses who call in sick all the time...........we have 1 that probably called in 8 weekends since March........no exaggeration here.  I cant use my sick time unless I have another mva.........doosey a couple of years ago, lol.    Anybody need a kidney or lung? O neg here. 

Nursejenny1310 says ...

I actually have a friend who needs a kidney, shes been on dialysis for 14 yrs. I tried to give her mine but somehting about antibodies or some crap.

geez, sorry to hear that.   Seriously, I am an organ donor, would have no problem doing this for a nice person in need.  I hope your friend can get a match, Jenny.  The things so many of us take for granted would make somebody's life.........a life.  My prayers to your friend. 

A hospital is a business. Business will do whatever it takes to survive and if that means cutting staff to the quick then so be it. I just posted a poll on this forum about nursing unions 2 replies indicate that: NO MATTER WHAT the patient and family and everyone else comes before the needs of the nurse. That speaks volumes as to why nursing is in the state its in today. When you wont stick up for yourself or your co-workers then you get what you deserve. Wake up people the hospitals are making huge money on the backs of the nurses. We are the ones that have the greatest impact on the patients recovery, not human resources, not upper management, not dietary, not respiratory, hell for that matter not even the DR.. Wecould make the hospitals dance to our tune but we are too fractured and worried about the public perception of nurses to do anything about it. If you dont believe it look at the way nurses treat each other: RN's for the most part dont even consider LPN's to be nurses, BSN's dont like ADN's because they didnt take some extra electives and become a BSN , MSN'S dont like BSN's and ADN's because they lack an advanced degree. The old motto of "one for all all for one" would be well suited to nursing. Until we start pulling together instead of sniping at each other over petty B.S. things will never change. Do you for one minute believe that the UAW would put up with half the crap that we take on a day to day basis. You already know the answer.............................

I have been on interviews recently where I was told that I would be responsible for clinical care for 40-60 patients and turned them down because I was just plain scared that I could not handle the volume. Thats the current trend for LPNs in New york. Now I regret that even though I was rational in not accepting these jobs. Where will it all end? I work for agencies now and get a chance to get a little preview of the facility without the committment. I have faith that I will find the job that fits for me!

Sorry to hear about your job, hope everything goes ok for you.