Citing labor market dynamics and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Galesburg (Ill.) Cottage Hospital has cut 30 jobs, according to The Register-Mail.
The layoffs affect less than 10 percent of its workforce and include full- and part-time workers.
Galesburg Cottage Hospital said eligible workers affected by the layoff were offered open positions.
"We care for our Cottage team members and deeply regret the personal impact this has on them," Galesburg Cottage Hospital COO Dave Guile told the Register-Mail.
Galesburg Cottage Hospital said labor market challenges, including a national nursing shortage, have been hard to manage. In particular, the shortage has forced the hospital to rely heavily on agency nurses, which makes it harder to fill open positions and three times more expensive.
"These labor market dynamics unfortunately require rightsizing of the hospital and clinic departments," Mr. Guile told the Register-Mail. "While we remain focused on preparing and caring for patients, it's critical we conserve resources wherever we can."