Coronavirus Florida: Retired nurses interested in returning to work? State hasn't waived coursework standard

Klein said she's flabbergasted that the state hadn't looked into it long ago.

Federal officials confirmed Florida's first two coronavirus cases on March 2. Florida is the third most populous state in the nation behind California and Texas, and it has large, international airports in nearly every section of the state.

Health care experts have noted that coronavirus is most dangerous to older people, people with a compromised immune system and those with underlying health conditions.

Only Texas and California have more residents who are older than 65 years old, and only Maine has a higher percentage of residents who are in that age range.

Florida's number of confirmed cases doubles every three days, rising to more than 2,300 Thursday morning. Twenty-eight Floridians have died from the virus.

Klein said the state's demographics are harbingers of a looming disaster, one she fears political leaders have not come to grips with or communicated. State residents are also in the dark, she said.

"These people have not a clue as to what's coming down the road," Klein said. "It's not here yet, but it will be here in the next two weeks. We will be deluged. It's coming."

Despite pleas from some members of Congress, Gov. Ron DeSantis has not issued a statewide stay-at-home order. He has questioned whether keeping schools closed is beneficial, and, like President Donald Trump, he has frequently discussed the importance of maintaining economic viability as the battle against the virus is being waged.

As of Thursday morning, five states had more confirmed coronavirus cases than Florida, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University, which has been tracking data related to the outbreak. Florida remains closely aligned with Michigan behind the four states with the most cases: New York, New Jersey, California and Washington.

Florida's confirmed caseload is likely depressed by a limited testing regime. Palm Beach County, for example, is the third-most populous county in the state, but has no drive-thru testing center. People who fear they might have contracted the virus are still complaining about an inability to be tested.

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On March 19, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management waived rules governing retired health care workers of the Department of Veterans Affairs, allowing them to get back into the field to help battle coronavirus and the illness it causes, COVID-19.

"The waiver makes it easier for the department to rehire retired VA health care workers and will help VA health care facilities bolster their medical staffs during the COVID-19 pandemic," the VA said in a press release.

VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said the waiver "helps give the department surge capacity as needed."

Retired doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, respiratory therapists and other medical professionals can register online.

Hospitals in Florida have not yet declared a shortage of nurses and doctors.

One nurse, who requested anonymity so she could speak freely, said the inability to get test results is one of the biggest challenges hospitals are facing.

"Those are patients that we can't discharge because we don't know if they have (coronavirus)," the nurse said.

Willa Fuller, executive director of the Florida Nurses Association, said her organization has not taken a position on whether continuing education requirements should be waived or postponed.

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She pointed to several factors.

"The purpose of the Board of Nursing is to protect public safety and that includes making sure practitioners are competent to practice," Fuller said. "There is also a consideration of where these practitioners would go to work and what the expectations would be."

Florida's hospitals, which often are part of large corporations not under local community control, have thought out their staffing needs, Fuller said.

"Hospitals usually have disaster plans in place and either designate current staff who are in non-clinical roles to return to direct care duties and assist where needed," she said. "Many also have a 'pool' where nurses work 'as needed' to fill shortfalls."

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Klein said she fears the virus could outstrip disaster plans and wants the state to act to make it easier for retired health care workers to help.

Klein said she retired in 2015 after 35 years as an operating room nurse, including 15 at Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Palm Beach. She began her career as a registered nurse in Ohio but moved to Florida in 1982.

Nursing, she said, is "in my blood. I loved being a nurse. It's driving me crazy. I need to be back there and helping."

The focus on other states like New York, California and Washington as focal points of the outbreak is a mistake, Klein said. Policy makers, hospital officials and residents should expect that things will get worse here in Florida.

"I hate to sound so drastic about this, but if people think it's only going to be in New York, Washington and California, they're fools."

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