Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Travel Nurses Paid up to $250 an Hour Help Fresno Cope With Pandemic
Liz-Juarez
By Liz Juarez
Published 4 years ago on
September 14, 2021

Share

Mired in a pandemic and no end in sight, Valley hospitals continue to face rising COVID cases, staffing shortages, and huge financial losses.

However, after weeks of asking for help, aid has officially arrived in Fresno County for hospitals overflowing with patients in dire need of attention.

Travel nurses are part of that new assistance and their presence can mean the difference between life and death for patients.

But these nurses come with staggering costs for hospitals already dealing with the massive financial challenges brought by the pandemic.

Help Has Arrived for Fresno County Hospitals

Travel nurses are arriving in Fresno County to help with the COVID surge, said Dr. Rais Vohra, interim health officer for Fresno County.

A representative for the California Hospital Association said that some travel nurses stand to make $600,000 this year.

“There are travelers that are coming into town, we know that every little bit helps, but we are not out of the woods yet and that we are probably going to be in this really challenging situation for the rest of the month,” Vohra cautioned during a Zoom media briefing on Friday.

Besides helping treat patients, traveling nurses and the expected federal team provide some relief for exhausted healthcare workers who have been working massive overtime.

“Last night, we worked with the state on a couple of federal teams which would be in partnership with the National Guard, so we are looking for a team coming to Community Medical Center,” said Fresno County Emergency Services Director Dan Lynch. “I believe it’s a team of 16 people, it’s similar to what we had last year with the help from the Department of Defense team.”

A team of 16 will help in trauma centers and ICUs while 117 travel nurses now at Community Regional Medical Center will help other facilities in need and allow overworked healthcare workers to get a break.

Fresno hospitals are operating at 105% to 135% of capacity with no available staffed ICU beds, and two-to-six-hour emergency wait times, Lynch said.

Travel Nurses Come at a High Cost

Travel nurses come with added expenses for hospitals, Lynch said. That’s because travel nurses can pick and choose where to work and demand higher than average wages.

In many cases, travel nurses come at twice the price of a local staff nurse, with many asking to be paid $200 to $250 dollars an hour. A representative for the California Hospital Association said that some travel nurses stand to make $600,000 this year.

The higher costs, however, are not a concern for county health officials at the moment.

“We’re not looking at money right now, the hospitals are not looking at money, they are just trying to take care of their community,” said Lynch.

Laura Florez-McCusker, director of media relations for Visalia-based Kaweah Health says there are about 100 RN travel nurses working in their facilities. Travel nurses there are commanding about $150 an hour. In comparison, a staff nurse makes about $65 an hour.

Healthcare Staffing Agencies See High Profits

As travel nurses become highly sought out, AMN Healthcare, a staffing agency, has seen its revenues increase by 41% from last year because of high demand.

In the second quarter of 2021, AMN Healthcare’s reported revenue was $857 million with a gross profit of $280.5 million.

Predictions for the third quarter of 2021 call for AMN’s revenue to be 40-43% higher than the year prior.

Meanwhile, California’s hospitals lost more than $8 billion last year while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report commissioned by CHA.

Moreover, the financial challenges are expected to continue in California, with projected losses of $600 million to $2 billion, says Chicago-based healthcare consultant KaufmanHall.

Feds Release $25.5 Billion to Help Hospitals

After reports of the financial crisis facing California hospitals, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last week the release of $25.5 billion in funding for healthcare providers under the HRSA.

While $8.5 billion from the ARP fund will go to rural Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Medicare patients. Another $17 billion from the PRF will go to healthcare providers who can show proof of lost revenue related to the pandemic between July 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021.

“This funding critically helps health care providers who have endured demanding workloads and significant financial strains amidst the pandemic,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The funding will be distributed with an eye towards equity, to ensure providers who serve our most vulnerable communities will receive the support they need.”

While beneficial to hospitals, this federal aid isn’t expected to cover all the shortfalls.

David Simon, senior vice president of communications for the CHA, says they won’t know how much of that money will be allocated to California hospitals until healthcare providers file applications showing their lost revenues.

“I think it’s fair to say that any support is welcome — so while every little bit helps, no matter what comes out of this, it won’t come close to covering the losses that have been incurred in the last year-and-a-half that are expected to continue to accrue through the end of 2021,” said Simon. “We are looking at a recovery in the healthcare system that will take years, if not decades to come back and I’m so grateful for anything that comes by, but not far enough.”

Fresno COVID Cases and Deaths

As of Tuesday, Sep. 14, COVID-19 cases increased from 119,738 on Sep. 7, to 122,650. That’s a 2,912 hike.

Total deaths also climbed by 25 from 1,828 to 1,853 since last week.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Townsizing? Land Snorkeling? A User’s Guide to the Latest Travel Lingo

DON'T MISS

Trump Trade War Has Already Had Huge Effect on California Ports

DON'T MISS

Cambodian American Chefs Are Finding Success and Raising Their Culture’s Profile. On Their Terms

DON'T MISS

Ancient DNA Reveals a New Group of People Who Lived Near Land Bridge Between the Americas

DON'T MISS

FDA Approves Moderna’s New Lower-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine

DON'T MISS

Cabrera, Three Relievers Combine to Lead Marlins to Win Over Giants

DON'T MISS

Spike in Steel Tariffs Could Imperil Trump Promise of Lower Grocery Prices

DON'T MISS

Dodgers’ Mookie Betts Out With Broken Toe After Late-Night Bedroom Mishap

DON'T MISS

California Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Hilton Vows to Repeal Transgender Athlete Law

DON'T MISS

Trans Athlete Competes in California Championships in Clovis Despite National Controversy

UP NEXT

California Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Hilton Vows to Repeal Transgender Athlete Law

UP NEXT

General Is a Good Boy — in English and Spanish

UP NEXT

Two Renovated Tot Lots Promise Family Fun at Roeding Park

UP NEXT

Visalia Police Hand Out 55 Citations During Motorcycle Safety Crackdown

UP NEXT

Chronic Stress Linked to Higher Dementia Risk, Experts Warn

UP NEXT

Authorities Seek Help Finding Relatives of Deceased Fresno Man

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Felecia Johnson

UP NEXT

How in the World Did Fresno End Up on Trump’s Sanctuary Cities List?

UP NEXT

Medicaid Work Rules Could Leave a Million Californians With No Health Insurance

UP NEXT

Fresno Police Release Video of Officer-Involved Shooting

Ancient DNA Reveals a New Group of People Who Lived Near Land Bridge Between the Americas

20 hours ago

FDA Approves Moderna’s New Lower-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine

1 day ago

Cabrera, Three Relievers Combine to Lead Marlins to Win Over Giants

1 day ago

Spike in Steel Tariffs Could Imperil Trump Promise of Lower Grocery Prices

1 day ago

Dodgers’ Mookie Betts Out With Broken Toe After Late-Night Bedroom Mishap

1 day ago

California Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Hilton Vows to Repeal Transgender Athlete Law

2 days ago

Trans Athlete Competes in California Championships in Clovis Despite National Controversy

2 days ago

Tim Walz Urges Democrats to Fight Back Harder Against ‘Bully’ Trump

2 days ago

US Defense Secretary Warns Indo-Pacific Allies of ‘Imminent’ Threat From China

2 days ago

Hamas Responds to the US Ceasefire Proposal for Gaza While Seeking Amendments

2 days ago

Townsizing? Land Snorkeling? A User’s Guide to the Latest Travel Lingo

For your next trip, have you considered townsizing? What about choosing a detour destination? And instead of forest-bathing, maybe it’...

20 hours ago

20 hours ago

Townsizing? Land Snorkeling? A User’s Guide to the Latest Travel Lingo

20 hours ago

Trump Trade War Has Already Had Huge Effect on California Ports

20 hours ago

Cambodian American Chefs Are Finding Success and Raising Their Culture’s Profile. On Their Terms

20 hours ago

Ancient DNA Reveals a New Group of People Who Lived Near Land Bridge Between the Americas

1 day ago

FDA Approves Moderna’s New Lower-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine

1 day ago

Cabrera, Three Relievers Combine to Lead Marlins to Win Over Giants

1 day ago

Spike in Steel Tariffs Could Imperil Trump Promise of Lower Grocery Prices

1 day ago

Dodgers’ Mookie Betts Out With Broken Toe After Late-Night Bedroom Mishap

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend