Contrary to national trends and predictions, since March 2009, Connecticut has lost 1,800 health care jobs. Economists are cautioning that this down-turn may represent a national trend. Explanations for the loss of jobs in the healthcare sector include unemployment, health insurance, the credit crunch, and tight state budgets. In encouraging contrast, Xu Cheng, an economist with Moody's economy.com, said that he does not predict health care job losses nationwide. Cheng reports a slowdown in the healthcare industry job growth from a high of over 3 percent in 2007 to about 1.4 percent annualized in June of 2009. Cheng notes that healthcare employment is, to a certain extent, a lagging indicator of economic conditions. Cheng also optimistically predicts that stimulus money going to Medicaid and other health care programs will mitigate job losses in the healthcare sector nationally.
Cheryl Peterson, Director of Nursing Practice and Policy at the American Nurses Association, said nursing jobs have been hard hit by the current recession because providers remain reluctant to hire. She notes that many hospitals have eliminated open nursing positions. Recent nursing graduates are experiencing some difficulty in getting jobs. Peterson predicts that this down-turn for nursing will be short-lived as the aging baby boomer population increases the demand for health care services.
As nursing faculty, we need to keep up to date on the job situation for our students. Whether trends are national, regional or state-wide, the changing economy does impact our profession and our future.
References
1. Miller, Z. Health Care jobs on decline in Connecticut. The Hartford Courant. Available at http://www.courant.com/business/hc-health-job-losses.artjul24,0,5114497.story. Accessed on July 27, 2009.
Source: ANA SmartBrief. July 27, 2009. Connecticut healthcare job losses may signal national decline. Available athttp://www.smartbrief.com/servlet/wireless?issueid=17E52B01-668A-49F8-8556-485F4. Accessed on July 27, 2009.
Submitted by: Robin Pattillo, PhD, RN, News Editor at [email protected].