Massachusetts: The nursing shortage eases

4 posts · started Oct 8, 2004

nursinghumor Oct 8, 2004, 11:53 AM
October 5, 2004: Massachusetts: The nursing shortage eases:"The nursing shortage in Massachusetts has eased -- with the vacancy rate dropping from 8.5 percent in January 2003 to 6.8 percent in January of this year, according to a study released last week by the state hospital association and the Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives. But hospital officials and nurses cautioned that the long crisis in the nursing profession is far from over."
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/health_science/articles/2004/10/05/the_nursing_shortage_eases/

Hmmmm . . .I wonder what kind of sign-on bonuses, recruitment tactics they're using. . . . somehow I don't think their nursing vacancy rates are going to stay that low for long.

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursing.com
lalainnc Oct 12, 2004, 8:06 PM
I would not be surprised if the decline in the vacancy rate is due in part to "financial reorganization". I have witnessed this in a couple of facilities. During the budget process, vacant nurse positions that have been open for a period of time are deleted "because they aren't going to be filled anytime soon anyway.." TaaDaa! Instant decline in the RN vacancy rate!
LeahNTexas Oct 13, 2004, 5:43 PM
I think a lot of companies would have less pain if they increased the number of nurses to every patient. And if nurses stuck together more often we could make this change happen.

Leah L. Logan