"We're pleased, but not surprised, that our students have done so well." Roseann Harrigan Student Services Director, School of Nursing

Graduates of the University of Hawai`i at Manoa School of Nursing scored exceptionally well on the national licensure exam, but high scores are not enough to get them jobs.

The School of Nursing sent its 37 students to take the National Council Licensure Exam, which is required for employment as a registered nurse. They scored 100 percent on the exam.

"We're pleased, but not surprised, that our students have done so well," Roseanne Harrigan, School of Nursing dean, stated in a press release. "They are talented, committed and hard-working, and we equip them with a strong foundation of basic knowledge and sound experience in the practice of nursing."

But the job market for nurses in Hawai`i has become increasingly tight over the past several years.

"On Maui, only three nurses in their program found jobs after graduation," said Stephanie Monet, director of education and practice at the Hawai`i Nurses Association.

She said one reason for the decline is cuts in federal reimbursements to hospitals.

"Hospitals' expenses are going up, while federal reimbursements are going down," she said. "The government is not providing funding that meets hospitals' costs."

Monet said the result is shorter hospital stays for patients and a decreased demand for hospital staff including nurses.

She also said in an effort to keep expenses down, nursing recruitment offices in hospitals and medical centers are seeking experienced nurses, rather than hiring and training new graduates.

"They want to hire nurses that can hit the floor running," Monet said. "This has made it increasingly difficult for inexperienced nurses to get jobs."

However, Monet pointed out that the job market for nurses in Hawai`i has surged and receded many times over the past few decades.

In 1989, then Gov. Waihe`e proposed a $6.5 million action program to graduate approximately 300 additional registered nurses a year, plus an additional $8 million in capital improvements funds to improve facilities at UH.

The proposal was made in response to a predicted shortage of nurses that would reach a deficit of more than 1,300 nurses in 1991. The demand for registered nurses in 1989 was 591, and had jumped to 1774 in the two years following.

UH-Manoa, which had the largest program for registered nurses in the state, graduated about 170 registered nurses in 1991. This spring, it graduated 37 from the bachelor of science in nursing program.

Monet said as times change, so do the demand and salaries for nurses. Also, as pay goes up, so does the number of students enrolling in nursing programs.

"I've seen the same shortage and glutton fluctuations over and over," she said. "Nurses can end up making less overall, because inflation often outpaces salaries, as it did in the early '80s. That is why it is important to go into nursing because you want to be a nurse, not because of the pay."

Lois Magnussen, director of student services for the School of Nursing, said today's nurses need an upbeat personality, the ability to speak out, and to be detail-oriented and organized.

But most importantly, she said, they must get experience by seeking out opportunities to get their feet in the door.

"A graduate's first job might not be the best, but it may give them the practical experience they need to get a better job later," Magnussen said. "They may want to consider going to the mainland where there is a higher demand for nurses."

Students in Hawai`i have their choice of three nursing programs at UH and two other private programs, Chaminade University and the University of Phoenix Hawai`i Campus.

The UH system offers associate of science (two-year) programs at its community colleges on Maui, Kaua`i, the Big Island, and at Kapi`olani Community College, as well as the bachelor and master of science degrees at UH-Manoa.

UH also offers students opportunities for cooperative education in work settings where they gain both college credit as well as experience.

The university's nursing program places a heavy emphasis on clinical training and requires students to complete 12 hours a week in a clinical setting in addition to their regular classes.

"Some of our students work side by side with doctors in local hospitals, while others work in nursing agencies," Magnussen said. "Students are watched in the clinics, and if they perform well there, they have a much better chance of getting a job after graduation."

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