Rock Island County's long term care center is hiring nursing staff to care for more veterans. And they may get paid more. This morning, County Administrator Dave Ross announced Hope Creek Care Center will start accepting veterans from the Iowa City V.A. hospital while they wait to move into a V.A. nursing home.
Ross says the agreement will help both the Iowa City hospital and Hope Creek. In the spring, Hope Creek closed one of its wings since it didn't have enough patients to fill the 35 beds. So Ross says there's plenty of space for veterans from the Iowa City V.A. Health Care System.
At tonight's Rock Island County Board meeting, members will consider a proposal to increase starting pay for nurses while reducing benefits. The goal is to bring wages more in line with the private sector. And Ross says union workers at Hope Creek have already signed off on it.
If the board approves, a Registered Nurse will start at more than $25.00/hour instead of the current $21.00. And L.P.N.'s will make more than $19.00/hour instead of $17.00. Ross says Hope Creek, located in East Moline, is currently hiring nurses' aides, R.N.'s, and L.P.N.'s.
