Boise (670 KBOI News) – The director of the state’s veterans’ services programs found himself on the other side of the committee table, talking with the legislature’s budget writing committee about his department.
Former Senator Marv Hagedorn is now the administrator of the Division of Veterans’ Services, after being appointed last summer.
He told JFAC one of the biggest challenges is finding enough nurses to care for the residents of the state’s three veterans’ homes.
“Right now, Idaho puts out about 800 nurses a year, but only roughly 600 are staying in Idaho,” Hagedorn said. “The rest are moving out of state. Partially, that reason is pay. So we have to compete for that 600 we’re building, and staying in Idaho, we’ve got to compete for them.”
He says right now, there’s a new hospital opening up in Pocatello, which is looking to hire 70 nurses…and they have to come up with a way to convince their staff nurses to not jump ship.
The problem will be compounded when the state opens its fourth Veterans’ Home in Post Falls. There are three currently, in Boise, Pocatello and Lewiston.
