Houston Labor Market Pulse
2010 RN Winter Brief
Vacancy Index & Recruitment Activity Indicators
Hospital RN vacancy rates are a great indicator of RN shortages in the market and an individual facility’s ability to address labor challenges. However, vacancy rates are often not disclosed so it can be difficult to assess if certain areas or facilities are facing greater challenges than others. The Labor Market Pulse® Vacancy Index fills this knowledge gap in the market.
Winter 2010 Update: Houston RN Vacancies on the Rise
• RN recruitment activity, as measured by the Labor Market Pulse® Vacancy Index, continued to rise in early 2010. After dropping to its lowest level of 2009 during Q3, the index began to rise at the end of the year and is now at its highest level since early 2009 (4.0%).
• Of the facilities tracked, Methodist Willowbrook, Memorial Hermann TIRR, and Memorial Hermann Katy registered the highest number of vacancies
• 87% of all current job postings are for full time positions, the highest percentage in the past 4 quarters.
• The RN Job Posting Index captures the acceleration or decline of recruitment activity, regardless of changes in hospital bed size and FTE’s employed
• A value of more than 100 indicates intensifying recruitment activity, and a value of less than 100 indicates easing of recruitment activity
• The tracking initiative began in October 2008 with the inaugural 6-week base period ending October 28, 2008