Will you be ok jobwise with this nightmare?

[Farro]

Yup. I work in healthcare for a major hospital. I schedule elective surgeries and work in the admin office. Right now I’m ok since there’s other things to do for our docs but if this goes on too long I expect to be furloughed or layed off. They are already cutting hours in some outpatient offices.

My SO works for a health insurance company. He’s considered life sustaining but will the company go under ?? We never know.

I work in Compliance (coding/billing auditing and education, monitoring RAC and other audits) and we are considered a necessary evil. Nobody likes us, but everybody needs us.

Even I'm nervous at this point.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Yes, I don’t think people are really thinking about how everything is connected.

I work from home and it’s healthcare, so people seem to think that’s guaranteed security. But, depending on how long this goes on our company may not be able to survive financially.

Yes, hospitals might be overwhelmed and need extra nursing staff if they are hit with tons of patients. But in the meantime basically every is shut down. Doctors offices, dentists, surgery centers, etc. There’s only so long they can pay staff without seeing any patients (and making zero income). I know lots of dental hygienists and nurses who have already filed for unemployment because their offices will be closed for weeks if not longer.

My husband is actually the project manager for the Covid-19 task force at a very large hospital. They are having to send tons of staff home (either with PTO or without pay) because they are not doing any elective procedures. They will likely have to fire people due to the economic impact.

My pet peeve - mixing up fired and laid off.
If loses job due to lack of work you’re laid off.
If you are fired it’s usually because of incompetence.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/difference-between-getting-fired-and-getting-laid-off-2060743

Dental offices and optometrist here are closed except for emergencies.
Hospital staff will never be laid off just perhaps reassigned.

 

[E&Cmom]

I am a RN so essential service so my job isn’t going anywhere. anytime soon.

 

[tzolkin]

Hospital staff will never be laid off just perhaps reassigned.

I am a RN so essential service so my job isn’t going anywhere. anytime soon.

Large hospital system with locations around the state. As a result of stopping all non- emergency procedures, FTEs are being reduced due to low census. Nurses and other staff will be laid off in the coming weeks. I don’t think the administration would waste time discussing the specifics of who and when if it was “never” going to happen.

 

[E&Cmom]

Large hospital system with locations around the state. As a result of stopping all non- emergency procedures, FTEs are being reduced due to low census. Nurses and other staff will be laid off in the coming weeks. I don’t think the administration would waste time discussing the specifics of who and when if it was “never” going to happen.

I am aware this are happening sadly. My situation is fine right now as I am not in a hospital, I am in also in Canada and work for our provincial health line which is now being swamped with Covid Calls.

 

[WeatherLights]

Large hospital system with locations around the state. As a result of stopping all non- emergency procedures, FTEs are being reduced due to low census. Nurses and other staff will be laid off in the coming weeks. I don’t think the administration would waste time discussing the specifics of who and when if it was “never” going to happen.

I'm not very familiar with how hospitals operate, so this may be a very dumb question. Why wouldn't the nurses from the elective surgery/outpatient facilities be transitioned to attend the influx of patients with respiratory illness? Is it too specialized?

 

[CdnCarrie]

Large hospital system with locations around the state. As a result of stopping all non- emergency procedures, FTEs are being reduced due to low census. Nurses and other staff will be laid off in the coming weeks. I don’t think the administration would waste time discussing the specifics of who and when if it was “never” going to happen.

your private system is very different from our socialist one
I know people working in non emergency procedures. They are already being told about their new assignments.

 

[LeiaOfAlderaan]

I was laid off from my job of 22 years mid-2018. I’ve been taking an extended break and was planning on finding a new job now. Obviously that’s not happening lol.

DH’s job is iffy. He is a software engineer so he can work from home, but he works for a small start up and a lot of their revenue comes from professional sports. So if sports don’t come back in the next couple of months (and they probably won’t), I don’t think he’ll have a job past June. I can only hope if his company closes that the shelter in place order is eased in late summer/fall and he can find a new job.

 

[tzolkin]

I'm not very familiar with how hospitals operate, so this may be a very dumb question. Why wouldn't the nurses from the elective surgery/outpatient facilities be transitioned to attend the influx of patients with respiratory illness? Is it too specialized?

If the hospital is inundated with COVID-19 patients, yes, nurses would be reassigned to other duties. But there is a level of specialization that does make it difficult to just swap any RN for any other nursing job. Just as you wouldn’t expect someone who had never set foot in an operating room to be able to assist with a surgery, nurses who have worked 20+ years exclusively in the OR may not remember floor nursing skills they haven’t used since they were in school. But they could help out in other ways with some patient care, bathing, cleaning rooms, etc. that are not as specialized.

We are actually working on that with some of our CRNAs. If there’s no surgery for them to be providing anesthesia for, they may still be able to help out in other areas (like ICU).

That said, right now not everywhere is experiencing this surge in ill patients and some hospitals are relatively empty. So if there are no surgeries being done and no patients to care for then there is no where else for the staff to be reassigned (and no income being generated by the hospital to pay them).

The irony is that if tons of people get sick where you live, then your job is secure. But if your area is relatively unaffected, then you may lose your job.

your private system is very different from our socialist one
I know people working in non emergency procedures. They are already being told about their new assignments.

You didn’t say, “in our socialist medical system”, you just made a blanket statement (“hospital staff will NEVER be laid off”) after quoting me. So it seemed that you were saying I was wrong or lying and that nurses won’t really lose their jobs.

Many people believe that any job in healthcare is totally secure right now. I was simply pointing out that is not necessarily the case for everyone.

 

[Kestryl]

I hope I’m ok. I’m a government contractor. My group of four just made an offer to a fifth, and we have two more job postings. So I figured even if they have to cut back, it’ll be there. Our facility has cycles of operating and not operating (so really prepping for operation), and the next campaign has not been delayed at all.

Husband is a public school teacher. I certainly hope the schools re-open, if not by May, then for next academic year.

 

[Disney Doll]

I’m an RN. So it depends on your definition of “OK”.

If I were a young person, I’d be looking right now at jobs that are considered essential and pointing my career choice in that direction.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I'm not very familiar with how hospitals operate, so this may be a very dumb question. Why wouldn't the nurses from the elective surgery/outpatient facilities be transitioned to attend the influx of patients with respiratory illness? Is it too specialized?

Right now there may not be a need. We have stopped everything elective in preparation of an uptick in patients From covid and because we are low on PPE. OR nurses and nurses who assist in procedures in short procedure units will start being sent home or layed off. When we get the influx of patients I assume they’ll start placing nurses in other places if they can work in that department.

Also I’ve heard a lot about union rules.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

I own a small seafood processing shop, we supply directly to restaurants, I doubt some will open back up. I’ve been through Katrina and the BP spill, I’ll bounce back from this to.

 

[tzolkin]

Right now there may not be a need. We have stopped everything elective in preparation of an uptick in patients From covid and because we are low on PPE. OR nurses and nurses who assist in procedures in short procedure units will start being sent home or layed off. When we get the influx of patients I assume they’ll start placing nurses in other places if they can work in that department.

Also I’ve heard a lot about union rules.

This is exactly what is happening everywhere that most people (even some in healthcare) are completely unaware of.

As to the bolded, I was thinking about that the other day. When we lived in NY there was a union. Here there is not and you can be fired at any time for absolutely any reason. I remember with the union even if someone was completely incompetent it was nearly impossible to fire them.

I know another poster corrected me about not knowing the difference between firing and laying off. Yes, they will eventually have to start laying people off but in the meantime (since they know a financial struggle is imminent) they are actively looking for reasons to fire people (taking home supplies, sexual harassment, tardiness, etc). Since they are having to rotate which nurses get sent home each day without pay, they are making the pool smaller so those without any disciplinary issues can get more hours.

 

[CdnCarrie]

If the hospital is inundated with COVID-19 patients, yes, nurses would be reassigned to other duties. But there is a level of specialization that does make it difficult to just swap any RN for any other nursing job. Just as you wouldn’t expect someone who had never set foot in an operating room to be able to assist with a surgery, nurses who have worked 20+ years exclusively in the OR may not remember floor nursing skills they haven’t used since they were in school. But they could help out in other ways with some patient care, bathing, cleaning rooms, etc. that are not as specialized.

We are actually working on that with some of our CRNAs. If there’s no surgery for them to be providing anesthesia for, they may still be able to help out in other areas (like ICU).

That said, right now not everywhere is experiencing this surge in ill patients and some hospitals are relatively empty. So if there are no surgeries being done and no patients to care for then there is no where else for the staff to be reassigned (and no income being generated by the hospital to pay them).

The irony is that if tons of people get sick where you live, then your job is secure. But if your area is relatively unaffected, then you may lose your job.



You didn’t say, “in our socialist medical system”, you just made a blanket statement (“hospital staff will NEVER be laid off”) after quoting me. So it seemed that you were saying I was wrong or lying and that nurses won’t really lose their jobs.

Many people believe that any job in healthcare is totally secure right now. I was simply pointing out that is not necessarily the case for everyone.

True. Hopefully most nurses will just be reassigned.

 

[mombrontrent]

For now it seems like we will be ok, my dh is a truck driver and delivers for a large food company. I’m a manager in a grocery store and my Dd17 is a cashier at the same store. My Ds 20 got laid off, he travelled for his job counting various stores inventory.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

I work in what is considered an essential service industry, energy. DH on the other hand works in new home construction, he's working now, but the economy will likely catch up to him.

We got through the 2008 meltdown, it was very slow for him and the place I worked for at the time closed.

I'm praying we can stay healthy and get though this storm.

Prayers to all who are struggling.

 

[AurumPunzel]

I'm in retail, and as my retailer is considered non-essential, I would be in an uncertain position, but as online sales are expected to pick up, and because I work on the logistics side of retail, I should be alright, but I won't know for certain until I'm back on Wednesday, as I'm currently on my annual leave, which was supposed to be spent in DLP, but obviously with the closures, and because I still needed relaxation anyways, I'm currently spending it at home instead.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

This is exactly what is happening everywhere that most people (even some in healthcare) are completely unaware of.

As to the bolded, I was thinking about that the other day. When we lived in NY there was a union. Here there is not and you can be fired at any time for absolutely any reason. I remember with the union even if someone was completely incompetent it was nearly impossible to fire them.

I know another poster corrected me about not knowing the difference between firing and laying off. Yes, they will eventually have to start laying people off but in the meantime (since they know a financial struggle is imminent) they are actively looking for reasons to fire people (taking home supplies, sexual harassment, tardiness, etc). Since they are having to rotate which nurses get sent home each day without pay, they are making the pool smaller so those without any disciplinary issues can get more hours.

My healthcare system has started searching bags when people leave due to theft of PPE and toilet paper.

I work in the outpatient side and the RN's here are not union. Hospital RN's are union. The talk is that it isn't so easy to just reassign nurses that are union. (I'm not an RN so I'm not up on the union rules). Especially if certain nurses refuse to move due to experience or fear of the virus in certain settings.

Some outpatient nurses said they are open to moving into the hospital if times get rough but the union probably wouldn't allow it.

I read an article regarding 50+ CRNA's being laid off in Boise. No elective cases = no use for anesthesia nurses.

 

[HeatherC]

I am a RN so essential service so my job isn’t going anywhere. anytime soon.

Stay safe! And thank you!!