Good Samaritan closing: Employees still in shock

A day after the announcement that Good Samaritan Hospital will shut its doors for good at the end of the year, employees said their still trying to come to grips with the initial shock.

RELATED: Good Samaritan Hospital: Leaders saddened, concerned by closure

Some didn't know anything about it prior to the announcement, while others say they'd heard behind-the scenes rumblings. But all of them said Thursday that there's no way to prepare for the way in which they got the news about the hospital closing -- via a televised news conference.

“We were a little surprised, I think we're mostly concerned about our patients and their access to health care; Miami valley is five minutes away, it's not too far,” said Amy Striebich, a resident doctor in family medicine at the hospital.

Good Samaritan Hospital closing: Former nurse recalls ‘small, friendly place’

She said believes Premier officials when they say the goal is to place all workers in another position with the company.

“Yeah, they've already promised that, we're residents, we're employed technically by the network and not the hospital,” she said.  “So, do you already go to more than one location? Yes and our patients do, too, the patients already use both hospitals.”

Steve Reser hopes he'll keep his job as a lift technician, helping nurses move patients, and he hopes good people won't leave the company, he said.

RELATED: Did you know the Dayton community helped build Good Samaritan Hospital?

Some workers contacted this news organization, pointing out that Premier may be taking steps to handle a potential exodus of nurses by hiring so-called "travelling nurses".

The company disputed that charge, "For several years, Premier Health has had an existing staffing agency agreement in place. This agency helps us address natural fluctuations in staffing that occurs during flu season, for example".

Still, most workers seem to believe their skills and job will transfer to other Premier facilities.

“I think that it will,” Reser said. “I believe there's a couple places I could go but also I'm a firefighter/EMT, so I know I could be an ER tech or other jobs.”

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