by Jean Hudson, KUAM News Sunday, November 19, 2006 E-mail this article Printable version KUAM Toolbar Web Widgets Get RSS headlines

KUAM Video requires Flash 8. download it Here.

While physicians are considered the team leaders in a healthcare environment, it's usually the nurses that are the primary caretakers for patients, and quite often such is a 24/7 job. Across the nation and on Guam there has always been a shortage of nurses. Better marketing efforts by local education institutions, student scholarships, as well as aggressive lobbying for better incentives have proven successful when it comes to recruiting and retaining nurses. Maria Salomon, director of nursing studies at the University of Guam, told KUAM News, "We've spoken at college recruitment activities and high school activities. A lot of the recruitment comes from relatives of nurses because we're so family-oriented in Guam."

Salomon, herself a nurse since 1971 and having come to Guam in the early 1990's, says UOG has seen a dramatic increase in its nursing program. And when students become full-fledged nurses they usually seek a job at Guam's only civilian hospital. Still, the Guam Memorial Hospital has a shortage of nurses, with Salomon commenting, "I believe the last time the numbers were given, they had shortage of about 25 RNs and close to 20 LPNs."

Salomon says the starting salary for a registered nurse is around $17/hour, which isn't so bad. And for licensed practical nurse, the starting salary may range from $9-10/hour. However, while lobbying efforts to increase salaries as high as 39% for nurses working for the local government works its course, it didn't make much difference in other areas of the government. "It didn't happen at UOG because we're not a part of the Civil Service Commission," she explained.

And still yet, many in the nursing community feel while it's a job that one must have a compassion for as well as endure long workdays, UOG nursing student Lawrence Alam says he feels the reason why nursing grads leave the island after obtaining their education is because the salary doesn't pay all the bills. "I believe the number one reason is salaries especially here on Guam," he admitted. "The workload is so high but pay is so low a lot of these nurses, especially us graduates we have a lot of bills and loans to pay and because of that we have to play in our cards and choose what's best for us. Although, we love Guam." Alam adds that what his peers learn in the classroom has a lot to do with technology, but when they hit the work force its unfortunate that some of Guam's medical facilities are not equipped with modern-day equipment.

In the meantime, Salomon says it's also difficult to fill faculty vacancies at the University because some positions require a master's degree, which is why the director would like the nursing students to have its own facility at the Mangilao campus, a plea she is hoping lawmakers will consider. Salomon said, "We would like them to fund the Master's Degree in Nursing program, which we are going to develop and implement as soon as possible."