Article Summary –
Hospital Sisters Health System closed Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire and St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls along with 19 Prevea Health clinics due to financial reasons. This has caused a significant strain on the community’s healthcare system and forced many employees to look for jobs elsewhere. Other health groups in the area, like OakLeaf Medical Network, Marshfield Medical Center, Mayo Clinic, and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, are expanding their services to fill the gap left by these closures.
Nurse’s Job Search After Eau Claire Hospital Closure
Following Hospital Sisters Health System’s announcement on Jan. 22 that Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire would close, nurse Brittany Sheldon began hunting for a new job. Aware she was competing with nearly 1,400 individuals for similar positions, she applied to around 40 jobs in the vicinity.
Despite a relentless series of applications and interviews, Sheldon found more rejection than success. With the hospital’s closure on March 22, earlier than initially stated, alongside St. Joseph’s Hospital and 19 Prevea Health clinics, the regional healthcare system grappled with the financial fallout. This left Sheldon, originally from Milton, reconsidering her plans to start a family in Eau Claire.
Ultimately, Sheldon and her husband decided to relocate to Rockford, Illinois. Sheldon found work as a post-anesthesia care unit nurse at UW Health SwedishAmerican Hospital, the same role she held at Sacred Heart. She conceded that moving to Illinois wasn’t their first choice, but the need for stable employment and a reliable healthcare system outweighed their preferences.
Sheldon’s story mirrors many of her former colleagues, who have left Eau Claire to pursue work opportunities in Rochester, Minneapolis, Madison, or traveling nursing positions. The closures have not only impacted local employment but also affected healthcare services for residents within an hour’s radius.
Patients receiving treatment at Sacred Heart’s cancer center are now forced to seek treatment further afield, according to OakLeaf Medical Network spokesperson Lee Caraher. This has led other health groups like Marshfield Medical Center, Mayo Clinic, and OakLeaf to expand and take over former Prevea clinic locations to fill the gaps.
The Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce has also initiated a recovery task force to improve local access to healthcare services. As Sheldon prepares for her move to Rockford in May, she remains positive about the future: being closer to family and finding new opportunities amid the adversity.
—
Read More Wisconsin News
