Recently, Munson Healthcare announced they are bringing on 170 Filipino nurses to fill the ranks throughout its sprawling northern Michigan locations over the next two years.
A nurse from the Philippines agrees to a working contract of three years with the ability to leave at anytime without cost or repercussions.
“This is one tool in the tool box” Munson marketing director Megan Brown said.
Since the beginning of the new year, Brown said Munson has hired 50 new personnel from the local area, state, and throughout the Midwest.
Munson does not have a particular target goal of nurses to hire, but there are currently 500 jobs open throughout the healthcare system with nearly a third (roughly 170) being nurse positions.
Brown and Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Standfest said these Filipino nurses will be making the same amount as a current nurse, depending on experience.
“It’s not a cheaper option,” Brown said.
Although no pay figure was given to confirm what the actual pay of anyone one these foreign nurses would be due to it “not being public.”
“We don’t share our wages or ranges publicly but any internationally-educated RNs would receive the same compensation package as any other new hire in the same role with similar experience. We share wages with the nurse when the official offer goes out, and it is based on their years of experience, same as all other hires. We are competitive with other healthcare systems in Michigan,” Brown said in an email.
Steadfast does ensure that they will be apart of the current collective bargaining agreement.
According to several figures, a Filipino nurse can make upwards of $30,000 pesos a month, or nearly $600 dollars. According to indeed, a Munson nurse could average anywhere from $30-$40 an hour or over $5,000 a month.
Munson used an agency called SEAPCI and Elite365. On their website, the agency highlights its partnership to recruit up to 200 nurses for Munson over the next three years to address staffing needs.
SEAPCI did not return a request for comment.
The same company is responsible for bringing some 600 nurses to Detroit-based Henry Ford Health. Standfest said the nurse roster took a significant hit with an unknown number leaving the ranks, according to her.
In terms of quality care, Standfest says Munson is taking it seriously, and something they have put a lot of thought in.
“Both on the compassionate and caring aspect ... They are very well trained in English,” Standfest said. “There’s a strategy to bring them into our core team.”
The U.S. is projected to experience a shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs) that is expected to intensify as Baby Boomers age and the need for health care grows, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Projections 2022-2032, the Registered Nursing (RN) workforce is expected to expand by 6% over the next decade. The RN workforce is anticipated to grow from 3.1 million in 2022 to 3.3 million in 2032, an increase of 177,440 nurses. The Bureau also projects 193,100 openings for RNs each year through 2032 when nurse retirements and workforce exits are factored into the number of nurses needed in the U.S.
When asked what Standfest would say to the northern Michigan prospective nurses is that Munson will continue to be investing in the community and provide a professional path for nurses, among other healthcare related fields.
“We’ve leaned on the community for over 100 years and have had lot of success in recruiting and caring for friends and neighbors and that’s not something we are giving up on,” Standfest said. “Supporting the local workforce is a priority.”
