Roseburg (KMTR) - Mercy Medical Center currently has about 70 job openings. Specialty jobs that require professional training, such as speech therapists, pharmacists, and management positions, are often difficult to fill. However, entry-level jobs are very competitive.
"We may have a registration receptionist that on the first day we'll post, we'll get like 60 applications come through. And this time last year, we have gotten a dozen or so, the first day." said Deb Lightcap, director of Human Resources at Mercy.
The hospital isn't the only place needing health care workers. The Douglas County Health Department oversees 4,000 seniors and disabled citizens who require in-home care. The department has seen a seven percent increase this year, in applications from people wanting to be caregivers. However, it's still not enough to meet the demand.
"It is an opportunity to explore that idea if you're interested in caring for people. We're going to see an increase in this. It's a tremendous career and it's certainly not going to go away," said Merry Bayly, district manager for Seniors and People with Disabilities with the Oregon Department of Human Services in Roseburg.
Mercy Medical Center, however, is hiring fewer people overall than what they were last year. Lightcap said the hospital last year would employ 10-12 new people never week. Now, they're filling two-three positions weekly.
