CHCC to raise nurses’ salaries

The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. wants to raise the salaries of its nurses this summer as a primary means to attract and retain personnel.

CHCC chief executive officer Esther Muña told Saipan Tribune yesterday that the wages of nurses have been frozen since 2006.

According to Commonwealth Health Center hospital administrator Jesse Tudela, the starting salary of a registered nurse is at a little less than $25,000 per annum.

Muña did not disclose how much of an increase CHCC plans to implement but assured that it would happen.

“It is long overdue,” she added.

According to Muña, she is currently waiting on CHCC chief financial officer Derek Sasamoto’s financial analysis on how the salary increase would impact the corporation.

In line with the increase, Muña said there could also be a possible increase in hospital rates. She said that CHCC is currently looking at consulting an expert to look at the hospital’s charge master, which is the comprehensive list of items or services billable to a patient or insurance provider. According to Muña, the last time hospital rates were looked at was back in October 2012. Muña also mentioned that CHCC is looking at securing a technical assistance grant to pay for that expert.

“Somebody has to pay for this cost,” she said, referring to the adjustment of the nurses salaries. The large number of CHCC nurses add up to large amounts, Muna said, and the fact that CHCC is short-staffed is causing nurses to work overtime.

“We are looking at the current salary and we are also looking at hiring [more nurses]. There are recruiters out there that we compete with. CHCC wants to retain its nurses but to do that, we need to take action now. We cannot delay it any further,” she said.

“To carry on with what we have been doing in the past is unsustainable. We are going to lose staff and we won’t be able to provide our services,” she added.

Tudela pointed out that some CHCC nurses have expressed a desire to work elsewhere if salaries are not adjusted

“Some have said that that [salary hike] is what would keep them here,” said Tudela, adding that those who approached him were local, U.S.-licensed nurses.

“They were inquiring and already making plans to leave if the salary is not adjusted. This is besides the CW-1 issue. These are our local nurses,” he said, mentioning that a handful of CNMI nurses have already moved to Guam over the past couple years.

Although Muña did not provide any specifics, she clarified that the salary raises would affect nurses under CHCC on Saipan, Rota, and Tinian.

The number of nurses employed by CHCC is estimated at around 200.