Benavente pushing for nurses’ salary raise

The Babauta administration is looking at offering more incentives to nurses, including a possible pay increase, in efforts to encourage them to remain in the CNMI.

“We try to give incentives such as increasing the salaries of nurses. The governor and I feel very strongly about increasing the nurses’ salary,” said acting governor Diego T. Benavente in an interview yesterday.

He said that Department of Public Health Secretary James U. Hofschneider is poised to ask the Legislature to amend the salary cap law to exempt medical professionals, including nurses.

“Dr. Hofschneider is pushing to amend it. He will be working closely with the Legislature on that issue. The administration wants to make sure that we compensate them accordingly,” he said.

The acting governor said that the CNMI needs to be more creative in presenting itself to potential nursing staff amid reports that the National Council Nursing Licensure Examination might be offered in the Philippines.

Right now, Filipino nurses come to the CNMI to take the exam. “That’s an issue so we try to give incentives,” he said

Benavente, who signed yesterday a proclamation declaring Nov. 21 to 27 as CNMI Nurses’ Week, acknowledged that nurses are an extremely important and vital part of the CNMI’s healthcare community, delivering both physical and emotional care to patients.

He said that this year’s theme, “Nurses Value Lives 24/7,” reflects the day-to-day role of nurses in taking care of the sick and well.

“It’s the nurses’ commitment to care and service that brings us together today. Through difficult conditions, no matter what cause, the nurses of the CNMI have stayed the course, and continued to deliver excellent service to all in need. Through these difficult conditions, nurses everywhere need the support of the entire community; from myself, and all of you here today,” he said.