> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Hitting the call button in search of nurses - URL: https://www.smdp.com/hitting-the-call-button-in-search-of-nurses/ - Published: 2006-02-25T16:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T17:18:24.000Z - Author: Kevin Herrera - Tags: Health, Santa Monica, #archive-import *Hospitals ante up to restock nurses* SAINT JOHN’S — Registered nurses and college students on the verge of becoming health care professionals flooded the halls here Thursday looking for a job — and a $10,000 signing bonus. From early in the morning to late afternoon, recruiters with Saint John’s Health Center said they were inundated by questions from prospective employees as part of the hospital’s first all-day employment open house — called to fill vacancies in operating rooms, the intensive care unit, oncology department and labor and delivery. Visitors, most dressed in blue scrubs and tennis shoes, naturally wanted to know about the working conditions at the hospital, the relationships between nurses and doctors and administration, as well as the condition of the facilities. But what they also wanted to know was how could they qualify for the $10,000 bonus being offered. “This all looks very attractive, but I still don’t know what I’m going to do,” said nursing student Rachel Adair, who participated in the all-day recruitment drive and plans to graduate in December with the idea of working somewhere in Los Angeles, possibly Saint John’s. “The staff here is great and there is a real sense of community, and the money isn’t bad either, but there are so many offers out there to consider that you can’t just jump at the first one that comes along. You really have to weigh your options, which is great.” With the country experiencing a severe nursing shortage and the state requiring more nurses per shift, respected hospitals like Saint John’s, which was named one of the top 25 private health care facilities in the country, are having to pull out all the stops in order to maintain current staffing levels, as well as prepare for the near future when a majority of nurses retire. The increase in competition between hospitals has resulted in the offering of what some have called exorbitant signing bonuses, including mortgage assistance, new cars and tuition reimbursement. All of which leaves some questioning — how much is too much? “I don’t really know the answer to that question,” said Deborah Burger, president of the California Nurses Association and a staff nurse for more than 20 years. “I think some of the bonuses may be considered high, but that is what the market is dictating. In another five years or so you could see those figures drop as more nurses come on board. But that all depends on the funding available for nursing programs so that we can keep turning out new nurses.” Saint John’s has raised its signing bonus from $5,000 for the most qualified to $10,000 for any registered nurse, regardless of experience. If current employees recommend someone who is hired, they receive $6,000. “We are doing all that we can to bring nurses in (because of the shortage),” said Saint John’s recruiter Marjorie Allen. “We are very concerned about having to use a lot of expensive, (temporary) employees here so we thought it would be more beneficial if we put our money into signing bonuses as opposed to spending on (contract) employees.” Experts in the medical field said the shortage of nurses is the result of several factors, one of which is a lack of funding at community colleges for nursing programs. Other factors include a lack of qualified professors to teach students, as well as a failure on the part of some hospitals to maintain a pleasant working environment. “It’s not all about the money. Sure, it’s nice, but the money can be gone in a very short period of time. Then what are you stuck with?” Burger said. “If nurses are concerned about their long-term career, they will look at the community where the job is located, the working environment, the types of patients who come in. There are a lot of factors involved.” Nurses typically make between $40,000 and $60,000 a year. While Saint John’s and other hospitals on the Westside, including UCLA Medical Center/Santa Monica, are complying with state requirements of one nurse for every five patients, the battle to remain fully staffed has forced many to enter into the bonus game. That has created a group of revolving nurses who will sign up, receive a bonus and then leave the hospital for another once their time is up. It is known in the industry as “bonus hopping,” experts said. A way to squash that practice is to maintain an excellent working environment and to offer benefits that few would want to forfeit. One of the benefits that Saint John’s has is that it is a smaller, private hospital with highly-qualified staff and is located in an affluent community with plenty of amenities, Allen said. However, because rents are so high here, it can be difficult to find people willing to move closer to work. UCLA doesn’t offer any signing bonuses, said Robin Ludewig, head of recruitment at the college. “Since we are committed to hiring and training new graduates throughout the year, we find we are in good shape in regards to staffing levels,” Ludewig said. “I think we are in such good shape because we are a teaching hospital with plenty of opportunities to expand your skills and advance your career in a wide variety of areas.” There is hope amongst hospitals that the need for signing bonuses will die down in return for more qualified applicants coming into the field. If so, everyone will benefit. Nurses will have less stress and more help. Patients will receive more individual attention and doctors will be able to provide a higher quality of service. But with community college funding down and a threat of massive retirement looming, no one is overly optimistic. “It’s always been competitive and it will be an ongoing challenge,” Allen said. “I don’t see in the near future that there will be any change in the other direction.” Adair is pleased, but also concerned. “In a way, it’s good for us because we have more opportunities, but at the same time patients are not being served,” she said. “I think I’d give up some of that money, but it’s tough to say when you see all those zeros.” As Adair left undecided Thursday, 11 others decided to join the Saint John’s family, which Allen said was a good start. “But there’s always more work to be done.” *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 25, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/022506.pdf?ref=smdp.com)