Children’s Hospital of O.C. Cuts Its Staff

Children’s Hospital of Orange County eliminated the equivalent of 83 full-time jobs Thursday, saying losses that totaled $13 million last year are jeopardizing its mission to care for all the county’s youngsters.

The broadly distributed cuts included janitors, nurses, computer and clerical workers, medical technicians and a public relations director. Administrators estimated the reductions will save $3.5 million a year, part of a multi-pronged strategy to balance the books at the Orange hospital, which cares for children with life-threatening diseases regardless of whether their families can pay.

Layoffs totaled 42, said hospital spokeswoman Jaynie Boren. Some were part-timers, and the effect was the same as cutting 33 full-time jobs. Reduced hours yielded the equivalent of nearly 21 jobs, and the rest came from eliminating open positions and attrition.

Administrators at the independently operated hospital said they tried to protect crucial workers such as critical-care nurses.