No one's in a hurry to help the unemployed

[sweetwater]

Wow, Someone actually said it..newcomers are reviled. Since there is a steady exodux off of the Islands, I wonder who will end up remaining here? I speak mostly from a health care prospective. I don't care if it's Hawaii or New York...people need to have adequate health care. The only reason why I have had difficulty finding a nursing job is because there is an extreme shortage of health care facilities. I wonder how many locals would say that Hawaii has a great health care system? I wonder how many fly to Honolulu for othopedic surgery or anything else like this that we take for granted on the mainlands. If facilities would have just been open and honest with me to begin with..I most likely would have moved somewhere else. Hawaii doesn't have to be behind the times, especially when their health and educational needs are at stake. I have already ran into two work environments where 2 and 2 didn't come to 4 and I'm pretty certain that my application was pushed to the side. I don't care where you live...this isn't right. I've never expected more or less because of my Native American heritage. I want to be treated FAIRLY. I'm not rich and didn't come with a year's worth of income saved up. I've moved cross country many times with less saved than I had for this trip. After 5 1/2 weeks of searching, I have been hired for a 24 hour a week teaching job and most likely will be hired for another teaching job. Since everyone has told me that it would take me a year to get a job..I guess my bull dog perserverance has paid off. Once I'm working, I hang "hang loose" on my days off by swimming and tending my garden. Linda

[David M]

Glad to hear you found employment.

David

Ninole Resident

[hikatz]

Sweetwater, you hung in there, like you said bulldog perseverance! Congratulations on finding a teaching job, with your credentials and determination it worked out for you.[] Letter in Monday's West Hawaii Today, again pointed out the health care crisis we are having on the Big Island! (http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/articles/...ters01.txt)

[DickWilson]

Congrats SweetWater, best of luck in your new job, hope it leads to what you are really looking for.[]

dick wilson

[Bob Orts]

quote:

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Originally posted by sweetwater

The only reason why I have had difficulty finding a nursing job is because there is an extreme shortage of health care facilities.

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The State of Hawaii ranks #24 in available hospital beds, above the national average and in the upper 30% of available beds for population. Because the State is not a solid mass, mutual sharing does not occur, which results in the need to have excess capacity on each island as opposed to a continuous land region. However, that comes at a high duplication cost. It also places a logistical consideration on the services.

As for nursing, the State does have a shortage based on statistical analysis, but once again because it's not a continuous land mass, Oahu has a shortage, while the Big Island has a glut. Additionally, the majority of new licensees with less than 2 years of residency on the Big Island has the highest number of non-renewals. Hospitals and health care industry should naturally be wary of hiring new residents. Good news is those with 5 years or more of residency on the island are mostly employed. But with so many transplants with 15+ years of experience, hospitals are in a better position to pick and choose who they want.

Based on statistical analysis, specialty medical services can not be supported financially on the Big Island across most specialties. Oahu has the ability due to population and military, but not the Big Island.

Oahu has the majority of ancillary medical fields (insurance, sales, and services) where nurses would be employed. Hawaii ranks dead last in this area as it's cheaper for insurance companies, medical sales, specialty services, etc to ship people to Hawaii from California versus keeping a staff person in Hawaii. This statistically reduced the amount of nurses needed and actually tips the scales towards an even or glut of nurses on Hawaii.

Overall, Hawaii's medical industry would be healthier if it was one massive land mass where services could be shared. But it's not so duplication must occur to meet the level of service people are use to on the mainland. That all cost money. Reality is reality, the Big Island’s population is small and spread over a vast area. To provide the services and level people want, they got to pony up the bucks! We can debate all day over the needed care, but what it comes down to is; Pay the Piper! How does anyone propose paying for it?

[macuu222]

I'm 53, physically fit and healthy, college degree and have been retired here on the Big Island for 3 years. I have great insurance and a great retirement check and own my own home but when I decided I needed to do something to "keep busy" like get a job....I have had no luck. Even a mininum wage job "without insurance" is impossible to find. I even tried voluntering to work free with no luck. My age probably has something to do with it.

But believe me when I say this... If your not lined up with a job ahead of time...don't plan on getting one here.

[Guest]

Congrats Linda...

I'm jealous! [] I guess I need to start pushing more.

That would be funny if I found a nursing job with my teaching credentials now.

I've been struggling finding a position within the public schools with the recent cut backs.

Glad you persevered.

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