Recession affecting our jobs?

[nurseyo420]

Just wondered if anyone else have noticed the intense cut in assignments available now. I talked to a couple different companies today and both were saying the lack of assignments are due to the recession and hospitals not wanting to pay travelers anymore. Is there just a lack of L&D jobs or is it every specialty?

[RNCMSN]

My humble oppinion, based on my observations is that L&D and PACU are feeling it the most right now but the trend is for hospitals to shy from using travelers in every area. Those that are offering contracts are doing it for less dollars. It sucks.

[nurseyo420]

I know right, my recruiter had offered me a contract in oakland for $22 an hour, I was like are you kidding me?! I got paid more as a staff nurse in North Carolina.

[AmandaWIRN]

I think there are less assignments in certain areas of the country. Other areas have just as many assignments. For example, at the hospital I am currently at in San Antonio, the travel coordinator here said they currently have over 100 travelers at the hospital....

It seems like there are less assignments in the places that traditionally use a lot of travelers (CA, FL...), but an increase in assignments in other areas. Or, assignments in areas that traditionally pay a lot (CA) aren't paying as much. Other areas seen to have no change in pay. Not sure why that is. With things being the way they are, I think travelers need to just be more flexible in where they are wanting to travel to. If you are flexible about locations, you should never have to go without work, and you won't need to sacrifice pay.

[ppanchorage]

I was told by my recruiter that "after Obama gets in, things will change" and that "everyone (being hospitals) wants to see what happens." Don't know if there's any truth to that or not. I don't go to the obvious glamour locations and still am having limited options.
BUT there are still jobs to be had.

[MtGypsy]

According to my main recruiter, there are less jobs posted this year than last year. Jobs come in, and then are pulled. I do Med/Surg and there are less this year. I applied at 4 agencies, had 10 submissions and only one interview. My resume is good, my experience is good. It seems like most of the Med/Surg positions want tele. One recruiter told me that for one job she submitted me to the nurse manager told her that she had rec'd 100 applications from different agencies. Another told me that last year at this time they had 2000 positions posted, and this year they have 500. Of course this is from recruiters, so who knows if actual fact.

[SpicyPrice]

I think NICU is getting hit very hard right now. I currently am working with 5 companies and there are onlly two jobs that they have that I can be posted for. Many of my recruiters are submitting me to hospitals that they usually have needs for but currently dont. Honestly, I am a bit scared and very nervous. I havent gotten a single interview yet though other positions have posted and either been filled or closed. I am told my profile looks excellent and strong, so I just dont get it! Any other NICU travelers finding the same thing?

[RNCMSN]

Currently there are 5 travelers on the unit where I work. None of us are being renewed and neither of us have any idea where we will go next. 4 positions where I was submitted pulled out or were filled by nurses who opted to take a permanent position. The vacancies created by our loss is being filled with new grads. It's going to be interesting...we'll see how long it last.

[kristene61]

I work in an ambulatory surgery center in Florida and my hours have been cut to about 25 a week. I have been applying everywhere around here and there are few if any openings. I am looking outside Florida now.

[darlonna]

my assignment at the OKC VA ends late Feb and my recruiter is not offering me ANY assignment anywhere except to extend where i am - i won't be doing that as i only came here for 13 weeks while my son was stationed here -
several other nursing agencies have said that opportunities are really tight out there (i am strictly med-surg float) but they all still want applications - they say things will open up again actively in a month or 2 - i am applying to a couple more - does anyone else establish with more than 1 agency?