The Economics of Snow Birds in the ER
The lovely state of Florida, we are known for our large retirement communities and our snowbird populations.
For those that don't know what a snowbird it is, it is a person or family that spends their summers living up north in states like New York, Michigan, and Ohio and spends their winter in Florida. These snow birds are often, but not always, retired persons with a slough of health problems and medications. They also tend to be much older in age.
Quite often, the combination of money, retirement, older age, and exhaustion from travel and house prepping leads to exacerbations of health problems...bringing them right to the ER's front doorstep. They put most of the Emergency Departments in Central Florida into what we call "busy season," where our ED's are not only overflowing with flu and cold symptoms, but also with the elderly snowbirds.
Honestly, it does make our job more challenging. These patients are not ever quick discharges. They are full work-ups with all sorts of labs, medications, and admissions. They take up our beds for hours and can be very demanding. That is the truth.
But there are also some other truths that are very important to take note of. Busy season means more nurses needed per shift, fewer cancellations and early dismissals, and more potential for overtime shifts.
Snowbirds bring in the money. They just do. And that is a good thing. Many nurses roll their eyes at the thought of busy season and how crazy busy that makes us, But in reality, snowbirds are kind of what keeps the lights on, so to speak. They deserve to be treated with respect and they deserve the same amount of customer service we provide everyone else, even as irritating as they can be.
The financial impact that snowbirds have on our area hospitals is insurmountable. And we have to keep that it mind. Always. We have jobs because snowbirds exist. And if they ever stop coming down to Florida, we could be in trouble.
For those that don't know what a snowbird it is, it is a person or family that spends their summers living up north in states like New York, Michigan, and Ohio and spends their winter in Florida. These snow birds are often, but not always, retired persons with a slough of health problems and medications. They also tend to be much older in age.
Quite often, the combination of money, retirement, older age, and exhaustion from travel and house prepping leads to exacerbations of health problems...bringing them right to the ER's front doorstep. They put most of the Emergency Departments in Central Florida into what we call "busy season," where our ED's are not only overflowing with flu and cold symptoms, but also with the elderly snowbirds.
Honestly, it does make our job more challenging. These patients are not ever quick discharges. They are full work-ups with all sorts of labs, medications, and admissions. They take up our beds for hours and can be very demanding. That is the truth.
But there are also some other truths that are very important to take note of. Busy season means more nurses needed per shift, fewer cancellations and early dismissals, and more potential for overtime shifts.
Snowbirds bring in the money. They just do. And that is a good thing. Many nurses roll their eyes at the thought of busy season and how crazy busy that makes us, But in reality, snowbirds are kind of what keeps the lights on, so to speak. They deserve to be treated with respect and they deserve the same amount of customer service we provide everyone else, even as irritating as they can be.
The financial impact that snowbirds have on our area hospitals is insurmountable. And we have to keep that it mind. Always. We have jobs because snowbirds exist. And if they ever stop coming down to Florida, we could be in trouble.
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