EUGENE, Oregon – With COVID-19 cases rising in Oregon, hospitals across the state and local areas are bringing much-needed assistance. However, it is extremely difficult for the nurses to find affordable accommodation in Eugene.
A travel nurse who wanted to remain anonymous reached out to KEZI to express her concern.
“I’ll get there in two days with nowhere to go,” she said. “It actually gives me a shiver just thinking about it because I never expected it or came across it while traveling.”
The nurse said she responded to calls for much-needed nurses in Eugene. She got her contract and then went looking for a place to stay for her three month rotation. In doing so, she ran into some problems.
Airbnbs were listed for thousands of dollars, and they said any apartment with availability was unfurnished and was gone within an hour. Hotels weren’t much better. A hotel in Springfield gave her almost $ 20,000 for the three months. The breakdown showed that prices were raised on the weekends due to the University of Oregon football games. It is impossible for her to prepay for this because she will not be paid until she starts to work.
“I don’t come here for football, I literally want to shower and sleep,” she said. “I’m getting emotional. It is frustrating. I come to you and work in your state and I know your protocols and know your community. But I can’t find a place to stay. “
She is not alone. Dozens of nurses along the way have expressed that they hit brick walls while living.
Many are assigned to PeaceHealth hospitals, so what are they doing to help?
In a statement, PeaceHealth said:
“PeaceHealth, like other hospitals and health systems in Oregon and across the country, recruits traveling nurses to respond to fluctuations in staffing needs. PeaceHealth has signed a contract to hire traveling nurses to help care for patients at a time help high patient volumes. ” Volume and an increase in COVID-19 patients.
The tight housing market in Eugene-Springfield presents a challenge to anyone seeking accommodation, including PeaceHealth carers who live in our community and traveling nurses who come to work in our area. This is a community-wide problem that continues to require community-wide solutions. Fortunately, all traveling nurses receive accommodation funding included in PeaceHealth’s agreements with agencies that provide traveling nurses. The Merete Hotel Group, which housed so many health care workers and community members during last year’s forest fires, has partnered with PeaceHealth to help accommodate our traveling nurses, offer discounted rates and a dedicated concierge to assist them .
As a community partner, PeaceHealth is committed to both short-term and long-term housing solutions. One strategy that PeaceHealth recently implemented is an accommodation hotline that all PeaceHealth carers and travelers can ask for help. This hotline provides housing resources and helps connect property owners who offer housing options with PeaceHealth staff and housing hunter traveling nurses. Callers are given a list of local housing offers that they can follow up to find an apartment that suits their needs. If anyone in the community has potential housing options to share with PeaceHealth staff or traveling nurses, please call 541-222-8111. Thank you for helping to support health care in our community. “
The travel agent we spoke to said she was out of luck with the hotline and they were told by local hotels that there were too many “blackout dates” or days when promotions would not apply. This made it almost impossible to book non-stop days.
She has not had a place to stay since Tuesday. She starts working in Eugene on Thursday and leaves her practically homeless when she leaves the hospital.
CONNECTED: PEACEHEALTH’S VACCINATION REQUIREMENT attracts dozen of protesters
Recently, PeaceHealth Hospitals introduced a new COVID-19 vaccine requirement. As of August 31, all caregivers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit a qualified medical exemption. The policy applies to all caregivers, including vendors, students, contractors, vendors, and volunteers. Those who do not can take unpaid leave.
A document was provided to KEZI by an employee of PeaceHealth stating that health care workers who do not meet the requirements of this policy will be given unpaid leave pending compliance. Failure to comply can lead to corrective action up to and including termination of employment.
