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Delaware responds to shortage of nurses with ‘Tuition Incentive Program’

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Delaware responds to shortage of nurses with ‘Tuition Incentive Program’


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As the demand for health care services continues to rise, the pervasive nursing shortage presents challenges in every state nationwide. In Delaware, this is evident as nurses manage additional responsibilities or step away from the healthcare profession.

Delaware has 11,490 registered nurses serving the state population of around one million people, according to a 2022 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Registered Nurses. That equates to about 11 nurses for every 1,000 people, highlighting a substantial workload per nurse.

The demand for nurses is widespread, said Christopher Otto, a registered nurse and the Delaware Nurses Association executive director. The shortages are particularly evident in acute and long-term care settings, where the working conditions can become exhaustingly challenging.

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“These are increasingly challenging working environments, more demands are being put on nurses in these environments as other resources are being cut [or] drawn back because of budget constraints,” he said. “Nurses are just exhausted. We also know that nurses in the last several years have made the decision to work part-time or reduced hours, some retiring altogether and leaving the profession.”

Some of those long-term care settings facing nurse shortages are in state-operated facilities within the Department of Health and Social Services and the Department of State. That includes the Delaware Psychiatric Center, the Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill, the Delaware Veterans Homes, and the Stockley Center.

“With certified nurse assistant vacancy rates of 40-50% in our state-operated healthcare facilities, it puts additional pressure on licensed and registered nurses in these facilities,” said Claire DeMatteis, Secretary of the Department of Human Resources.

To address this shortage, the state recently launched the ‘Tuition Incentive Program.’

“We are offering this first-ever tuition incentive to attract more state employees to serve as certified nurse assistants,” DeMatteis said. “With this new tuition incentive, along with signing and retention incentives for all types of nurses in our state facilities, we are investing significant state resources for the health and well-being of some of our most vulnerable residents.”

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Delaware

DA charges Wilbert Rosado-Ruiz in deadly Delaware County Linen shooting

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DA charges Wilbert Rosado-Ruiz in deadly Delaware County Linen shooting


Two of the victims were listed as stable and one was in critical but stable condition, Gretzky said.

Officials said Rosado-Ruiz had a dispute with one of his female co-workers and she became his first victim. After arguing with her, he stepped outside, made a phone call and returned to shoot her. He then walked around the building firing his weapon at other coworkers, fatally shooting brothers Leovanny Peña and Giguenson Peña.

Rosado-Ruiz then tried to exit the building and noticed the female co-worker, his first victim, and shot at her again, but either missed or ran out of ammunition. He then escaped in his vehicle, a black Scion. Police officers from nearby Trainor spotted his car and arrested him within minutes. Rosado-Ruiz didn’t try to pull out his gun, officials said.

Gretzky said his officers arrived to a “very chaotic scene.” One of the deceased victims had collapsed near the entrance of the building.

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“First responders encountered another victim who was shot multiple times — and I have to commend my officers, because they put a tourniquet on the male and then in the laundry area, they put him in a laundry bin and they wheeled him outside to get him to better medical assistance,” Gretzky said.

Stollsteimer said Rosado-Ruiz didn’t have a criminal history. He has been an employee at the business since 2016.

“My understanding is that he has been complained about by other employees of the business,” Stollsteimer said. “I believe there was a meeting of employees with the owner of the business the day before. This was not unusual that he was having a verbal altercation or verbal problem with one of the employees.”

Stollsteimer couldn’t comment on reports Rosado-Ruiz openly carried a weapon at work.

“This is a continuing investigation. As more information comes to light, it will flush out that story for us,” Stollsteimer said.

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The mass shooting at the 2600 block of West Fourth Street brought Chester to a halt. The regularly scheduled City Council meeting ended early in the aftermath of the crisis.

Delaware County Linen reopened for business Thursday.



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Beach at Cape Henlopen’s Navy Crossing closed to vehicles this Memorial Day weekend

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Beach at Cape Henlopen’s Navy Crossing closed to vehicles this Memorial Day weekend


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Surf-fishermen hoping to drive onto the beach at Cape Henlopen State Park via Navy Crossing are out of luck this Memorial Day weekend.

Though typically available to those with reservations, “the beach is too narrow, leaving insufficient space for vehicles,” a Cape Henlopen State Park Facebook post announcing Navy Crossing’s closure to vehicles said. The beach remains accessible by foot.

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“We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding as we prioritize safety,” the post said.

On summer weekends and holidays, Delaware’s drive-on beaches require reservations, which can be made at delawarestatepark.reserveamerica.com.

As of Wednesday evening, all Cape Henlopen beaches were booked for Memorial Day weekend, as was Delaware Seashore State Park’s 3R’s beach. Beach Plum Island, Fenwick Island State Park and Delaware Seashore State Park’s Keybox/Conquest/Faithful Steward beaches still had reservations available.

Reservations for Monday (Memorial Day) will become available at 11 a.m. Thursday.

More: Everything you need to know about surf fishing at the Delaware beaches this summer

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Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught.



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Bills to keep Delaware from adopting Medicare Advantage plan pass in the Senate, head back to House

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Bills to keep Delaware from adopting Medicare Advantage plan pass in the Senate, head back to House


Two bills advocating for state retiree health insurance benefits pass in the Senate, but head back to the House with new amendments.

Delaware lawmakers have been working to repeal efforts made by the Carney Administration in 2022 to move state retirees from a Medicare supplement plan to a Medicare Advantage plan.

Retirees argued the new benefits were not what they were originally promised and sued the state for implementing the plan without holding public comment.

The first bill repeals the option of providing health care insurance to state pensioners under Medicare part C, known as a Medicare Advantage plan unless they are employed on or after Jan. 1, 2025.

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The second provides extra regulatory and transparency processes to the State Employee Benefits Committee — the body in-charge of choosing state health insurance plans — and their meetings.

Both bills passed in the House in March, but Sen. Majority Leader Bryan Townsend (D-Newark) introduced a new amendment on each of the bills codifying the need for public comment before a new Medicare plan can be adopted.

“The Senate amendment here would basically say that a Medicare Advantage plan for future eligible retirees could not be passed until public comment is afforded at the meeting at which a vote to pursue that plan would occur,” Townsend said.

This additional protection comes after the Delaware Supreme Court overruled a Delaware Superior Court decision to halt the state’s transition to a Medicare Advantage plan after ruling the state violated the Administrative Procedures Act by not allowing input from state pensioners.

But Justice Abigail LeGrow said in her ruling, writing for a three-judge panel, the choice of a Medicare plan is not subject to the Administrative Procedures Act and therefore does not require public comment.

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These two bills would change that, which Sen. Minority leader Brian Pettyjohn (R-Georgetown) feels is a necessary adjustment after hearing state retiree concerns while serving on the Retiree Healthcare Benefits Advisory Subcommittee.

“One thing was very clear in listening to the retirees – the people that were affected by the suggested change to Medicare Advantage – they didn’t feel like that process that led up to that was open and transparent enough and that they were heard,” Pettyjohn said.

Both bills passed with full bipartisan support in the Senate.

If the two bills pass in the House for a final time — which are currently slated to be heard on Thursday — they will head to Gov. John Carney who has not indicated if he will sign them into law.

If Carney opts not to sign the legislation, but does not veto them, the bills will become law after 10 days of no action.

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