THE STATE IS HOPING IT ATTRACTS AND HIRES MORE NURSES BY REVISING GUIDELINES ON STATE REQUIREMENTS TO HIRE NURSES. BILL CHALTRY WITH THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TELLS US THE REVISIONS ALLOW THE STATE TO HIRE GRADUATING STUDENT NURSES RIGHT OUT OF SCHOOL WITHOUT COMPLETING THEIR LICENSING EXAM.
HE SAYS HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR SOME TIME, BUT THE STATE COULDN’T DO IT UNDER STATE PERSONNEL RULES UNTIL NURSES WERE LICENSED. CHALTRY SAYS THE NEW GUIDELINES ARE FOR BASIC NURSING SERVICES. NURSE PRACTITIONERS ARE BEYOND THIS CLASSIFICATION.
THE NEW GUIDELINES ARE NOW IN USE AND CHALTRY SAYS THEY’RE GETTING WORD TO GRADUATING NURSES TO LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE CHANGE.
