The Nursing Directory
Weekly Digest · May 22, 2026

Illinois Salary Guide + 2,200 Long Beach Nurses Strike Today

This week: Illinois state hub live, Penn study on safe staffing deaths, and a 4-day hospital lockout response to a 1-day nurse strike. Busy week.

This Week's Top Guides
NEW TODAY
Nurse Salary in Illinois 2026: RN, NP, CRNA & Travel Nurse Pay
$86,210 RN avg. ICU nurses at $105,726 beat the national mean by 24%. CRNA $240,879. Illinois is NOT NLC compact — travel nurses need a standalone IL license. Rush University just voted 77% to unionize.
Read → thenursingdirectory.com/nursing-site/nurse-salary-illinois
MAY 21
Nurse Salary in Pennsylvania 2026: RN, NP, CRNA & Travel Nurse Pay
PA RNs average $86,290. ICU nurses at $122,244 rank top-10 nationally. PA joined NLC compact July 2025. HB 106 staffing ratios still waiting in the Senate.
Read → thenursingdirectory.com/nursing-site/nurse-salary-pennsylvania
MAY 20
Nurse Salary in New York 2026: RN, NP, CRNA & Travel Nurse Pay
NYC ICU nurses average $133,481 — #1 nationally. The Jan 2026 historic strike set new 3-year contract benchmarks. Not NLC compact. CRNA $257,603.
Read → thenursingdirectory.com/nursing-site/nurse-salary-new-york
MAY 19
Nurse Salary in Florida 2026: The Surplus Market Reality
FL RNs average $84,360. Florida ranks 50th for NP and CRNA pay. Projected 53,700 excess RNs by 2030 suppresses wages. No income tax partially offsets this — but the math requires a calculator.
Read → thenursingdirectory.com/nursing-site/nurse-salary-florida
MAY 8
CMS Repealed the Nursing Home Staffing Mandate — What SNF & LTC Nurses Need to Know
The 3.48 HPRD, 0.55 RN HPRD, and 24/7 RN requirements are gone. State laws still apply. What actually changed and what the Penn study says about the cost in lives.
Read → thenursingdirectory.com/nursing-site/cms-nursing-home-staffing-rule-repeal-2026
News of the Week
TODAY
2,200 MemorialCare Long Beach Nurses Strike — Hospital Responds With 4-Day Lockout
One-day strike over staffing and ER safety. Hospital's response: secure travel nurses and lock out staff nurses for four days. California labor law, 10-day strike notice rules, and what comes next.
Read →
MAY 21
Penn CHOPR: Safe Staffing in PA Hospitals Could Prevent 3,040 Deaths Annually
Study came out right as HB 106 sits in the PA Senate. $305M in savings. 2,100 fewer readmissions. The hospital association opposes it anyway.
Read →
MAY 21
Rush University Nurses Vote 77% to Unionize — Largest Chicago Healthcare Filing Ever
1,190 to 350. NNU now represents Rush, UCM, and Cook County Health. First contract demands: ratios and pay transparency. Chicago's nursing labor market just shifted.
Read →
MAY 21
Federal Rule Caps Graduate Nursing Loans at $20,500 — 24 States Sue
The RISE rule classifies nursing as non-professional. NP and CRNA students hit hardest. Merkley-Wicker bill filed. 24-state lawsuit filed May 19.
Read →
MAY 19
New Jersey Governor Signs NP Independence Bill — What S2996 Actually Changes
NJ NPs can now provide primary and behavioral health services independently. Collaborative agreement still required for prescribing. One of the last northeast holdouts moves.
Read →

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