to the editor: For years, the Los Angeles Times has repeatedly covered the nursing shortage nationally and throughout California and the thousands of qualified applicants who would be hard-working, dedicated members of the profession if they could be admitted to nursing school (“California has a serious shortage of nurses. Inside the battle to get more students in schools,” October 6). However, despite the current shortage of 40,790 nurses, which is projected to increase to 61,490 within 10 years, our leaders in Sacramento have failed to address this crisis.
From 202129 California hospitals have closed their maternity wards, 17 of them in Los Angeles, despite the state ($27 billion), county (1.9 billion dollars) and our city (1.28 billion dollars) have received billions from the American Rescue Plan Act. As more than 50% Of hospital costs are related to labor, the nursing shortage has a significant causal relationship.
Compared to the boondoggles we have wasted money on, it wouldn't take much to train new nurses, something we so desperately need. We need to pay fair salaries to professors, invest in simulation labs, and offer loans to students who, once graduated, would earn upper-middle-income salaries and pay taxes and invest in their local communities. Instead, we get promises of a train to nowhere and a governor seemingly focused on running for president in 2028.
Howard C. Mandel, Los Angeles
Thmy The writer is president emeritus of the Health Commission of the City of Los Angeles.
