This really is the highest recognition within the nursing profession. The nurses at El Camino are so proud of having achieved this status.

For nurses, this designation really indicates that this is a place where you would want to work. It's a nurse-friendly environment and one in which they [nurses] are really valued.

Nurses look for environments to work where they're valued and respected and they look for an environment where they can participate and be involved in decision-making. We have a strong physician-nurse relationship. Our physicians highly regard our nursing staff.

The medical profession has proved to be a source of stable income for nurses. I think people are moving in that direction, where five years ago they would have gone to work for a dot-com company.

We're not forcing anyone out, and we want to make that clear. We're sorry someone interpreted it that way.

Most of the nurses at my hospital did not turn their patients every two hours, mostly because it is so hard to get staff members to help. Also, many are very well aware of the dangers of back injury.