Colorado: Hospitals have openings, but nurses won't fill them

[nursinghumor]

Hospitals have openings, but nurses won't fill them:"Colorado could easily address its nursing shortage by luring back to work just a fraction of the licensed registered nurses living in the state who aren't working at the bedside, according to a new report. There are 3,600 hospital RN vacancies in Colorado, but 21,000 of the more than 53,000 licensed registered nurses in the state aren't working as RNs. That figure includes nurses who have retired."
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/den...7/daily58.html

This doesn't speak well to working conditions in Colorado, does it? I can imagine a similar situation existing in all 50 states.

Andrew Lopez, RN
A to Z Nursing Resources
http://www.nursinga2z.com

[Aaron C.]

I would say it is the same can be said throughout the nation, just maybe not to that extent.

There is a reason why these nurses don't want to go back.

They don't feel the pay is worth the work.

Illness, disease, bacteria, death, demanding patients and family AND DOCTORS, liability in terms of frivolous lawsuits etc., long hours, overtime, short staff, high patient loads, man I could go on and on.

Nurses eating their young, shoddy pay rates, lack of support staff, being expected to clock out and THEN FINISH YOUR CHARTING...

When you add it all up, at some places it doesn't pay to be a nurse working a med surg floor. There are plenty of other opportunities for income for your average nurse.

[BigRedNurse]

I would say it is the same can be said throughout the nation, just maybe not to that extent.

There is a reason why these nurses don't want to go back.

They don't feel the pay is worth the work.

Illness, disease, bacteria, death, demanding patients and family AND DOCTORS, liability in terms of frivolous lawsuits etc., long hours, overtime, short staff, high patient loads, man I could go on and on.

Nurses eating their young, shoddy pay rates, lack of support staff, being expected to clock out and THEN FINISH YOUR CHARTING...

When you add it all up, at some places it doesn't pay to be a nurse working a med surg floor. There are plenty of other opportunities for income for your average nurse.

Just so you're aware, charting, or any WORK-RELATED, anything off the clock, is highly illegal. Don't believe me? Call the wage and hour division listed in the phone book under state or federal numbers. This is another reason why nurses have so many problems. They only do what they're told, but never question anything. We need to stand together and make our voices heard. Otherwise, the employers who are guilty of (see quote) will continue as long as we let them......

[Aaron C.]

Illegal, and "that's just the way it is" are one and the same many times.

[BigRedNurse]

Sadly, shortbus, you are sooooo right, and "that's just the way it is" should become the new mission statement for our hospitals. When you think about the mission statements of most hospitals and compare the statement with the way the employees are treated, someting just ain't jiv:eek: in'........

[Aaron C.]

I totally agree.

That's one of the things that frustrates me about being a nurse: Good luck getting everyone to rally behind you.

To me, it seems like many nurses would rather just not do anything, and then they'll have something to complain about.

[BigRedNurse]

at least it justifies their daily b***ch-fests.........

[buttercup24]

Hi everyone. Thanks for the interesting post. Question: Where are these openings in Colorado?

I am an unemployed new grad RN living in the Denver Metro area. I've been in contact with every hospital system in the area and no one wants a new grad. What gives?

[maggiedanurse]

everyone will hire an rn. call the nurse manager and talk to them not HR you will die waiting for HR. if i got hired believe me they will hire anyone!