Tri-City Medical Center Increases Nurses’ Salaries, Helps Reverse Nursing Shortage Trend
In an effort by the San Diego-based Tri-City Medical Center to retain its 517 nurses, the public hospital district said yesterday that the nursing staff will receive a 5% raise effective Sunday, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The raise, announced during an employee benefits seminar, is expected to cost the district about $1.5 million. In addition to the pay increase, Joy Gorzeman, the hospital's chief operations officer and head of nursing, said that nurses and other employees will be eligible for a 3% salary increase if the district meets its goal of improving health services, as determined by a survey of patients, physicians and employees. Also, nurses who work evening or overnight shifts will receive a 38% and a 40% increase in their hourly pay, respectively. The Union-Tribune reports that the hospital's "aggressive retention and recruitment efforts" have helped it "buc[k]" the nursing shortage trend that is impacting hospitals across the country. During a recent 90-day recruitment drive, Tri-City hired 53 nurses. "The district already pays $3 million a year for registry (outside) nurses and another $3 million in overtime for our regular nurses," Gorzeman said, adding, "We hope these improved benefits will help us retain our existing nurses and recruit new ones" (Berhman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2/20).
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