Employment at U.S. hospitals rose 0.17 percent in January 2009 to a seasonally adjusted 4,711,000 people, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report last week.
The increase was 8,200 more than in December 2008 and 137,000 more than a year ago.
Without the seasonal adjustment, which removes the effect of fluctuations due to seasonal events, hospitals employed 4,695,900 people in January, 10,900 fewer than in December and 131,100 more than a year ago.
The overall unemployment rate in the United States rose four-tenths of a percentage point in January to 7.6 percent.