The Northern Marianas' only hospital is now in a better position to retain nursing staff after they were awarded pay rises of up to 30 percent.
Photo: 123RF
All nurses have received the increases, effective from last Sunday, after going many years without a wage hike.
They are now being paid at similar levels to nurses in neighbouring Guam.
The salary increases will cost up to $US3 million dollars which the hospital will fund by moves such as improving billing procedures and charging patients more.
The hospital has been understaffed for years, partly due to the poor wages nurses had been paid.