Bill that helps transition ADN nurses to employment moves forward

Program would help not just nurses, but patients in communities with rural and medically underserved hospitals

Union nurses with California Nurses Association (CNA) yesterday celebrated the forward movement of a bill they sponsored that would diversify and expand the nursing profession as well as ensure communities across California have nurses to provide care through establishment of a state program to help new nurse graduates of Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs find jobs.

The bill, A.B. 2391, authored by Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens, would specifically support job placement pathways and provide financial assistance to help newly licensed registered nurses from ADN programs transition into jobs in hospitals serving rural and medically underserved communities.

"This legislation is really a win-win for everybody," said Cathy Kennedy, RN and president of California Nurses Association. "Our ADN nurses, who represent about half the newly licensed nurses in California each year, are the ones from diverse, working-class backgrounds and have life experiences that serve them and patients so well. Through this program, ADN graduates will get the help they need to transition to jobs and patients in rural, underserved hospitals that have a hard time recruiting and keeping nurses will get the safe patient care they need."

While California has an adequate supply of nurses, with over 560,000 actively licensed RNs, only about 58 percent are working as nurses. The ones who are providing direct care are not distributed evenly across the state's facilities, with hospitals in rural and high-need areas of California struggling to recruit and retain enough nurses to safely staff units.

And while the state has made investments in nursing education and training, supports for the critical step of transitioning from graduation to employment are missing.

"Nurses are the backbone of our health care system, and while the state has made investments into educating and training nurses, A.B. 2391 addresses the missing supports that transition ADN nurses from graduation to securing a job," said Asm. Ahrens. "At the same time, we are ensuring rural and underserved communities in our state get the nursing care they need. I'm proud to work with the California Nurses Association on these solutions that benefit everyone."

California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.