California Issues Call for Surge Medical Staff

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Facing a predicted surge of new coronavirus cases over the coming weeks and months, California has put out a unprecedented call to retired doctors, clinicians, nurses, physician assistants and even new medical and nursing students to help staff the state’s medical facilities in the days ahead.

The appeal for thousands of new workers was issued by California Governor Gavin Newsom during a news conference on Monday morning, March 30th. The announcement was accompanied by an executive order allowing for temporary changes to the way the healthcare system operates through June 30th. The governor said the state may be able to add up to 37 thousand additional medical professionals to the system.

If you’re a nursing or medical student, or retired medical professional, you can find more information and start the application process here:

California Appeals for Additional Healthcare Staff

All of this comes as the state and counties search for and prepare alternative sites for patient overflow, like gyms, auditoriums, hotels and college dorms. It is expected that many of the newly hired medical staff will help operate these sorts of facilities.

The appeal says the new staff will be paid, and covered by malpractice insurance. They are asking for:

Physicians (MD, DO), including medical students
Pharmacists
Dentists
Nurse practitioners
Physician assistants
Nurses (RN, LVN, CNA), including nursing students
Behavioral health professionals (psychiatrist, psychologist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, LCSW, LMFT, LPCC)
Respiratory therapists
Paramedics
Medical assistants
Emergency medical technicians

The push is part of California’s scramble to add 50 thousand new beds and thousands of additional healthcare workers well before the peak of coronavirus outbreak arrives in California, which some models have suggested will occur sometime in the last two weeks of April.