CHC reviews pending applications to replace outgoing nurses

The Commonwealth Health Center is now reviewing several applications to replace outgoing nurses at the public hospital, according to nursing director Leticia Reyes.

She confirmed yesterday that 17 nurses have resigned due to uncertainties in their retirement contribution as well as other concerns.

Reyes said that CHC is now immediately hiring U.S. citizen nurses, while the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. is scouting for nonresident applicants who may still be on island at this time to fill the void.

Reyes said the number of nurses at CHC is now down to 157, but she vowed to maintain the department’s 167 full-time employees.

Due to budget constraints, the hiring of nurses has been capped at 167 since the corporation’s takeover in October last year. The hospital had over 230 nurses in previous years.

Reyes said that all hospital employees who have plans to retire or resign were asked to provide the corporation three months’ advance notice so as not to hamper services at CHC.

Reyes said that most of the 17 resigning nurses will serve until the end of May and June.

While she’s sad about their departure, Reyes had nothing but good words for them. “Most of these nurses have been at the hospital for as long as seven years and it’s sad to see them leave. But I cannot blame them. There are several factors in their decision and I understand. I thanked them for their professionalism and by giving us time to look for their replacements.”

Reyes said the corporation asked for the 90-day notice from resigning employees to cover the processing period of CW visas for nonresident nurses who may be hired to replace them.

“We started reviewing all the pending applications for nurses and some calls have already been made to nonresident applicants to check if they’re still on island and willing to serve the hospital,” she said. Most of these pending applicants are nurses from the Philippines.

While optimistic, Reyes admits that she is still unsure if all 17 slots will be filled with qualified replacements within just three months.

She believes this latest round of resignations is the largest number ever filed at the hospital in a short period of time and admits that there are still some nurses who are thinking of resigning but are being encouraged to stay.

She assured, however, that services are not being hampered and patients-to-nurse ratio-five patients to every nurse-is still within the standard.

Many contracts of nurses at CHC are expiring in November this year.