Bill Would Provide Easier Access to Jobs for State’s Nurses

Bo Tefu | California Black Media(CBM) – Nurses across California may soon have easier access to more career opportunities, if Gov. Gavin Newsom signs a new bill into law.With a 76-0 vote on Aug. 26, the State Assembly voted to approve Senate Bill (SB) 1015, legislation that would provide an annual report to the Legislature on clinical nursing placement management and coordination.The bill authored by Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) aims to address the nursing shortage in the state’s workforce. Under SB 1015, the State would ensure clinical placement opportunities for California’s future nurses, including nurses attending community colleges, state universities, and other public institutions. The California Nurses Association (CNA), the largest union of registered nurses in the state, sponsored SB 1015 to support nursing students seeking placement in the workforce.Sen. Cortese said that SB 1015 ensures that the state meets the growing demand in the nursing field.“As California’s population ages and becomes increasingly more diverse, we will need a qualified and experienced nursing workforce to meet the unique demands and varied needs of all patients. That is why we must have appropriate nurse staffing levels which have proven to reduce mortality rates, reduce hospital length of stays, and reduce...