Broward Health Fiasco: Nurses Get Peanuts, While Bureaucrats Get Huge Bonuses

 

 

BY BUDDY NEVINS

 

 

The shortage of nurses in Florida is real.

There are approximately 10,000 vacancies for Florida hospital nurses. It is expected to get worse.

Roughly 44 percent of Florida’s nurses are over 50 years old and are expected to retired in the next decade.

Broward Health feels the pain.  The system loses about one-third of its 1,740 registered nurses every year

So Broward Health is considering a 5 percent raise for about half the nurses at its four public hospitals — Broward Health Medical Center, North Broward, Imperial Point and Coral Springs.

At the same time, Broward Health is handing roughly 300 managers bonuses of 17 percent this year. Those bonuses skyrocket to as high as 30 percent next year!

Let’s get this clear:

  • Roughly 950 registered nurses would split maybe $2.4 million in raises.
  • Roughly 300 managers would divy up bonuses worth $7.2 million….at least.

Like so often in the troubled history of Broward Health, taxpayers again are at a Mad Tea Party, having dropped down the rabbit hole into Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland:

  • Nurses, who are responsible for patients day-to-day, get 5 percent.
  • Bureaucrats, who see patients only as black ink on ledgers, get up to 30 percent.

 

Curiouser and curiouser.

The idea behind the bonus was explained by Broward Health Commissioner Steven Wellins. He’s a Wells Fargo Advisors vice president for investments appointed by Gov. Rick Scott as one of seven commissioners who help run the system in North and Central Broward.

Wellins said:

“This plan is targeted for the 300 or so leadership who are responsible for the day-to-day management and operation of the system and not the employees. This is a profit-share plan…”

 

Steven Wellins

 

Whether a public health system should be concerned with making a “profit” was not mentioned at the meeting last week where this bonus plan was discussed.

Anyway, Broward Health has a long way to go before it makes a “profit.”

The system had an operating loss of $149.2 million in the 2016-2017 fiscal year. It only stays above water through $138 million in property taxes and $45 million in other income, such as investments.

With those dismal real profit figures in mind, Broward Health pooh-bahs will use New Math to determine profit.

Maybe an increase patient admissions?

Or a bump in select voluntary procedures?

Perhaps selling more flowers at the gift shop?

It’s not as ridiculous as it sounds. Willens and his fellow commissioners conceded they are ready to pass the bonus plan before formulating the criteria for the bonuses.

During the discussion, the bonuses were enrobed in glittery language: They were needed to hire and retain the very best administrators.

But there is no shortage of bureaucrats.

There is a notable and documented shortage of nurses.

A hospital system hemorrhaging millions will hand out bonuses to already well-paid administrators.

Nurses will get crumbs off the table….while they still deal with bed pans.

Broward Health commissioners need to be reminded of the system’s much heralded mission statement:

“Provide quality healthcare to the people we serve and support the needs of all physicians and employees.”

That’s “all physicians and employees.” Not just high paid administrators.

 

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The Broward Health Human Relations Committee discussing the bonuses last week.  This YouTube recording courtesy of activist Dan Lewis, who videos many of the system’s meetings.  Although a public agency using tax money, Broward Health does not video its own meetings. A different version of this story can be found at here at Floridabulldog.org.

 



12 Responses to “Broward Health Fiasco: Nurses Get Peanuts, While Bureaucrats Get Huge Bonuses”

  1. City activist Robert Walsh says:

    Its totally gross whar has been going on.I agree so the big shots get to cash in.I say its such a mess that the Feds need to take over.Dept if Health/ human services etc.They seem to forget we give them meaning we the taxpayers give them what is it almost 200 mill a year etc.Without the tax monies they would never, never show a profit.Besides they are suppose to be a non- profit entity.So with the money the county gives them etc( like i stated almost 200 mil) they would not have these plans to give out these hefty bonuses on our dime.Unreal….

  2. BTThomas says:

    Scott and his Republican cronies are seeking to privatize BH. Until then, they will milk every dime out of it.

  3. Heard Around says:

    Everybody who works here knows that Imperial Point and Coral Springs are for sale. Supposedly Broward Health will pick up a load of cash for those and then not have to compete with private companies in those markets, like Holy Cross. They will have a captive marker of Deerfield Beach and Fort Lauderdale

  4. J. R. Hert says:

    Cleveland Clinic or Memorial for me!!!!!

  5. Kristina says:

    Broward County should compare the pay of its ancillary services employees to its C-suite or even nursing pay. So many people with STEM degrees aren’t paid anywhere near to their worth across the country. It’s a shame when vital employees go unappreciated year after year.

  6. Danial Morris says:

    How much should the bonuses be for failing to get the hospital at NSU

  7. Herman tty says:

    Privatize!

  8. wow says:

    Bev Capasso 750K plus 30% bonus? The person who cannot speak well, looks like trailer trash and does not have a master’s degree as required by the Job Description? Only in Broward County could this happen.

    The staff at Broward Health should form their own union.

  9. wow says:

    20% bonus for compliance and a 30% bonus for performance. OMG good gig if you can get it. I wish I could get a 20% bonus for just complying with the laws, most people just get fired if they don’t, not a bonus.

    Smart to give the nurses crumbs just like we got with the Trump tax cut so we don’t pay attention to the big corporation raking it in.

  10. City activist Robert Walsh says:

    Well Buddy your news story concerning BGH is having effect.Big news story this am bd.member Rocky Rodriguez just resigned.This will have a ripple effect and others(bd.members) will follow suit.There is no way out..I stated months ago each one of them should be replaced and never to step foot in any Broward General hosp.facilities…

  11. Jack Moss says:

    The most important people in any organization are those that have direct contact with the customers. They got it backwards with the raises.

  12. Bev Cannot Be Trusted says:

    Let’s not forget she conspired and voted for herself to get the job and lied and said it was only interim