EPHRATA — Columbia Basin Hospital board members in Ephrata approved nearly $252,000 in raises and benefits for employees in 2007 at a meeting Monday night.

The hospital conducted a survey comparing salaries of its employees to salaries at other hospitals and made adjustments based on the differences.

Controller Rhonda Handly said nursing staff received the biggest increase in pay. Nursing staff are getting an increase in salary and differentials, such as when they work weekends and nights.

Hospital Administrator Don James said the raises were necessary.

"I think that we did (need them) because they were approved, so the need was there," James said.

The money is coming out of the hospital's operating budget, Handly said. The estimated excess in revenue for 2007 is about $84,000. The total revenue for 2007 is about $13.06 million.

In addition to pay raises, hospital commissioners voted to add two additional steps in the pay scale. Employees are going to find a step 12 between steps 10 and 15 and a step 17 between steps 15 and 20.