Utah suffering severe nurse shortage

Utah is beautiful and mostly rural. That is one problem. Low pay and lack of respect for nursing is another problem. What is new in this. It's the reason nursing is in the toilet in many places. I have family who are Mormon's. They have tried to convert me, but being me, I ran the other way quickly. But, really folks, don't condem the whole state. There are some really nice people there.

Hello.. 11.50 an hour for a registered nurse? You have got to be kidding... In New Jesey we make 40.00-45.00 hour. New York & Philly even more. That is why there is such a shortage in Utah. The Midwest needs to get with the program. People pay 150 dollars to have an electrician or plumber walk in their house. Is it too much to ask for 40.00 for a nurse? She/He has your life in their hands. THe whole thing is obsurd. Think about it. Dolores

WHAT???? $40 to $45 an hour?! You must be kidding!!!!!!!! I'm moving right away to New Jersey...

$56.00 an hour as Per Diem at several hospitals in Center City, Philadelphia at several hospitals with National rankings in US News and World Report. No health insurance Benes but alot of parking and mass transit/train discounts, etc. And you can choose your own schedule - most per diems can work as many hours as they want, due to the shortage.

PS. Alot of Canadian travelers there, as PA did not require NCLEX of Canadians, but will require it in July, 2004 (I believe)

Come to WV! RNs with 25+ years experience make all of $21.00/hr. And no, the cost of living is not that low here. Compared to another state where I lived and nursing pay was higher, real estate, taxes, gas, and food are quite high.

I recently interviewed at UoU and am seriously considering moving there or Reno in June. Univ hosp in SLC offerred me $26/hr base plus some relocation $. I do have 16 yrs exp as RN although I have been out of acute care setting and working in case management for Medicaid waiver program 12+yrs. Moving where I can ski 50+ days/year. I have been to Utah 3 times skiing, haven't noticed the LDS influence to be overwhelming but I acknowledge it may be very different living there than going for short ski trips. Never been to Reno so I'm hesitant to move there, afraid the staffing shortage would be even worse than Utah. I was told 4-6 M/S - neuro is normal ratio with one aide to help and I feel that this could be doable, they are also willing to give me minimum 6 wks orientation, more if needed. I feel like I will need that much since I have been out of the hospital for so long. I wanted the Baylor plan I would have 5 days off each week for MSN program online but I cannot find any hospitals offering that option, let alone one in SLC or Reno. UoU offers 60 hr every two weeks as full-time so I can do 2 12's one week and 3 the next. I will stay there at least a year if I like it, if it is bad..and I'm miserable, I'll leave before that. I hope to only have a 6 month lease on apt and can leave after that if I find it is not as advertised. I did a couple years travel nursing in 1990/1991 and loved it, couldn't continue d/t raising kids. Hope to return to that lifestyle within a year or so, as soon as I get that one year recent hospital experience!

Well, I have to disagree. I don't think that a religion that insists women stay home, raise babies and work if they have to is "modern" by any stretch of the imagination. I have met some people who follow LDS and they are among some of the nicest people, kindest people I've ever met, but I could not say the tenents of the religion are "modern".

I don't think religion has much to do with the nursing shortage in Utah, though. It's the pay! For heaven's sake, a CNA with no experience makes $12.00+ in the Chicago suburbs; new grads start out around $21.00+ with 6 month increases for new grad adjustments. The pay isn't bad but some of the ratios/acuity are pretty high. JMHO.

Don't most Utah hospitals require nurses to alternate working day and night shifts? A lot of nurses probably don't want to do that. Maybe the schedules should be more nurse-friendly.