February 8, 2022 – Kaiser Health News recently examined the challenge smaller hospitals are having in competing for health care workers in the labor market. For instance, in Pilot Knob, Missouri, Iron County Medical Center CEO Joshua Gilmore said staffing costs for his 15-bed rural hospital have jumped 15% to 20% during the pandemic after he gave raises across the board to nurses and nursing assistants. He’s also offering $10,000 signing bonuses to fill three nursing positions.
“Those are big expenses for such a small facility,” KHN reported, “particularly during a pandemic when spending on supplies like masks and other personal protective equipment has also increased. The hospital has received just under $5 million in federal covid relief, without which it likely would have closed, Gilmore said.”
Gilmore said he has lost nurses to travel nursing jobs that can pay $10,000 per week. Typical pay for a nurse at Gilmore’s facility is about $70,000 per year, he said.