Healthcare workers’ confidence dropped in the second quarter, according to the Randstad Healthcare employee confidence index released today. The survey found that 43 percent believe the economy is weakening, up from 27 percent who said the same in the first-quarter survey.

Despite growing concern about the economy, healthcare workers remained confident in their personal situations, according to the survey. Fifty-one percent of healthcare workers said they could find another job. In addition, 37 percent said in the second-quarter survey that they planned to search for a job in the next 12 months. That is up six percentage points from the first-quarter survey.

“The recent decision by the United States Supreme Court to uphold the healthcare reform legislation, formally called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, all but ensures the future growth of the healthcare industry," said Steve McMahan, executive vice president of Randstad US, Professionals.

“Understandably, healthcare workers are concerned about the overall economy, but at the same time, this does not seem to be hampering their personal confidence in their own abilities and attractiveness to other potential employers,” McMahan said. “In fact, when it comes to their own employability, half of healthcare workers surveyed still remain confident that they could find alternative employment if they chose to. The combination of healthy monthly job gains, coupled with the recent Supreme Court decision, further solidifies an exciting and promising future for healthcare professionals.”

The index is derived from a survey of 232 healthcare workers.