Health District To Hire Foreign Nurses
Hemet-based Valley Health System plans to hire about 50 nurses from the Philippines as hospitals statewide work to address a nursing shortage, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reports.
According to Valley Health Executive Director of Nursing Annette Greenwood, hiring Filipino nurses also will help the hospital system to lessen its reliance on temporary nurse staffing agencies to ensure that nurse staffing is adequate in hospitals. Greenwood said Valley Health has an average nurse vacancy rate of between 5% and 10%.
Nurses from foreign countries must meet U.S. educational qualifications, as well as pass California certification and language exams, and have at least one year of experience, Greenwood said (Atienza, Riverside Press-Enterprise, 7/15).