Thanks for the extensive article on California's dramatic nursing shortage ("Nursing back to health,' by Jabulani Leffall, Business section, March 28).

I learned that only Nevada has a greater shortfall of nurses per 100,000 population. Moreover, I learned that since California passed the nation's first law requiring specific nurse-to-patient ratios, next year California hospitals will need to devote more than $400 million to new nursing hires. That number will grow to nearly $1 billion in 2008.

However, despite the new regulations, the article emphasizes that USC dropped its nursing baccalaureate program in 2001, and neither UCLA nor any of the other four UC campuses with med schools offers an undergraduate nursing degree. Why?

We're told it's because the programs are expensive. Indeed, the UCLA nursing dean is quoted as saying, "We need more resources from the state to go to nursing education.'

But the article further notes that UCLA has added 200 RNs to its staff. Now, that's remarkable! Where did they come from? Was it medical magic? A new DNA cloning miracle? Some truly innovative use of stem cells?

No. And though we surely attract nurses from other states and abroad, they're not simply imported like luxury sedans from Germany and Japan.

Then, where are they from? Let's start at home with 17 California State University campuses, producing more than 60 percent of new nursing bachelor's degree holders, and the community colleges, which across the state graduate thousands of associate degree RNs annually.

It was amazing that an article on nursing shortages would focus on who wasn't contributing to the solution, while never mentioning the institutions that have stepped up their commitments and their very great costs to help solve the problem.

The absence of attention to how nurses are produced is distressing. The Sun has, in its own back yard, four of California's fine community college associate degree programs at San Bernardino Valley College and Victor Valley, Chaffey and Riverside Community colleges.

To help treat the problem, the nursing program at Cal State San Bernardino has doubled its enrollment to 264 students and works closely and in partnership with Community Hospital of San Bernardino, St. Bernardine and Riverside Community Hospital.

ALBERT K. KARNIG
President
Cal State San Bernardino