nurses

Missouri is considering making it a felony to jack up temporary health care staffing prices during a statewide or national emergency. It’s one of at least 14 states looking to reel in travel nurse costs, after many hospitals struggled to pay for needed staffers earlier in the pandemic.

The measure would allow CNAs to become “qualified medication aides” and free up registered nurses to provide other needed care to residents.

The program is a first for Mayo Clinic in Florida. It will train students working toward an associate degree in nursing.

Florida was among three states that declined to check for vaccination violations, instead leaving that process to CMS, which hired contractors. As a result, CMS said Florida was docked more than $1.2 million.

Foreign-trained medical professionals could help address a workforce shortage and meet the growing demand for care. But they often face barriers to getting certified in the U.S.

After three days on the picket line, more than 7,000 nurses are returning to work at the city's biggest hospitals with the promise of "concrete, enforceable safe staffing ratios," their union said.

The funding rewards public postsecondary nursing programs that have gone above and beyond to train Floridians and provides matching funds for scholarship awards, faculty recruitment, equipment and additional educational supports.

Some rural residents must travel hours for a sexual assault exam. Specialized telehealth services are expanding so they can obtain care closer to home.

The nation has the highest rate of maternal mortality among wealthy countries. A long-standing program, Nurse-Family Partnership, which supports new parents, works to address this deadly trend.

Hospitals have depended on travel nurses, especially during COVID surges. Now some larger systems, reeling from high contract labor costs, have created staffing units, aiming to lure nurses who want more work flexibility and better pay than staff RNs.