Letters to the Editor: Instead of addressing its nursing shortage, California just continues to waste money

To the editor: For years, the Los Angeles Times has repeatedly covered the national as well as California-wide shortage of nurses and the thousands of qualified applicants who would be hard-working, dedicated members of the profession if only they could be admitted to a nursing school (“California has a severe nursing shortage. Inside the battle to get more students in schools,” Oct. 6). Yet despite a current shortage of 40,790 nurses, which is predicted to grow to 61,490 in 10 years, our leaders in Sacramento have failed to address this crisis.

Since 2021, 29 California hospitals have closed their maternity wards, with 17 of those being in L.A, even though the state ($27 billion), the county ($1.9 billion) and our city ($1.28 billion) have received billions from the American Rescue Plan Act. As more than 50% of hospital costs are labor-related, the nursing shortage has a significant causal relationship.

In comparison to the boondoggles we’ve wasted money on, it would not take much to educate new nurses, which we sorely need. We have to pay faculty fair wages, invest in simulation laboratories and offer loans to students, who once graduated would have upper-middle-income salaries and be paying taxes and investing in their local communities. Instead, we get promises of a train to nowhere and a governor seemingly focused on running for president in 2028.

Howard C. Mandel, Los Angeles
The writer is president emeritus of the Los Angeles City Health Commission.