One nurse has to look after 6-8 patients, especially during emergencies, he said.
The Commonwealth Health Center has over 200 nursing aides, nursing assistants, registered nurses and nursing practitioners.
Castro said most of the 105 members of their association are working at the hospital.
The association, he added, will push for the passage of legislation that will address CHC’s lack of nurses.
According to Castro, current law does not allow the hiring of part-time nurses.
This prevents nurses of private clinics to help their colleagues at CHC, he said.
“Our intention is to help our hospital cope with the nursing shortage especially when our economy is down at this time,” Castro said.
The CNMI, he said, should have a nurse-patient ratio comparable to Guam which has four patients to one nurse.
“Because of the lack of nurses, we have several staffers who have to do more,” Castro said, adding that most of them may consider leaving the island soon.
The governor has proposed a $37.4 million budget in fiscal year 2009 for the Department of Public Health, which says it needs $40 million to $42 million.
