County nursing salaries don’t compete

By DAVID HULSE

MONTICELLO — The Sullivan County’s Public Health registered nursing staff is down 38-percent from full staffing levels and officials say that at the salary levels offered by the county, that situation is not likely to improve soon.

Director of Patient Services Debbie Spaulding R.N., told Sullivan County Legislators on February 8 that 12 of the 32 registered nursing positions are vacant at Public Health Nursing.

Salary is a big problem. Sullivan County offers RN’s $33,048 to start.

Spaulding said the region’s nursing community is aging, that fewer new nurses are being trained and that the salary competition for their services has left the county uncompetitive in hiring. Spaulding reported that a new, two-year graduate is offered $50,000 at Horton Memorial Hospital in Middletown. “That’s similar to what I make here, with a Masters degree and 20 years experience,” she said.

“It’s only going to get worse,” Spaulding added, recounting a recent interview with a prospective nursing candidate who wanted to come to Sullivan County, “but I can’t negotiate salary,” she added.

Family Services Division Commissioner Judith Maier confirmed Spaulding’s appraisal. “It’s impossible to hire and hold nurses. We don’t offer a competitive salary.”

With RN’s in short supply regionally, Maier and Spaulding were seeking authorization to hire six new licensed practical nurses (LPN) to relieve the dwindling RN staff of some of the more routine procedures.

Legislator Rodney Gaebel (RC-5) wondered if putting the money for six new LPN’s, salaried at $21,000 each, toward salary changes for the RN’s was not a more appropriate action.

Maier confirmed that Sullivan needs to look at nursing salaries, but warned legislators that a bump in starting salaries would ripple up the system to prompt like increases for supervisors.

Legislators approved the new hires and legislative Finance Committee chair Kathy LaBuda (D-2) said her committee would begin considering the salary issue in March.