By Bo Tefu, California Black Media  

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 the number of preventable events such as falls and infections,” said Cortese.

According to the Board of Registered Nursing, 92 out of 152 publicly funded nursing programs were denied access to clinic placements. The program officials reported that the inability to secure clinical placements is one of the main reasons for not enrolling more students.

Cathy Kennedy, a Registered Nurse and president of the CNA, said that SB 1015 helps nursing students receive a clinical education and placement amid the nationwide staffing crisis, despite their socioeconomic background.

“Clinical education is an essential part of any nurse’s education, yet aspiring nurses, especially students in public programs, are being denied access to clinical placements,” said Kennedy.

“We applaud the California Senate for passing S.B. 1015. It is commonsense reform that will increase transparency and increase oversight from the Board of Registered Nursing,” she added.

If approved, SB 1015 would mandate new levels of transparency for clinical placements and help develop placement standards that ensure equitable access to opportunities in the workforce.

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