National Nurses United

NewsBriefs_OCT 12/27/11 2:26 PM Page 5 Las Vegas MountainView HCA Nurses Win First Contract O NEVADA n dec. 8, 2011 registered nurses at MountainView Hospital, affiliated with the nation's largest hospital chain, Nashville-based HCA, ratified their first collective bargaining contract with important improvements in patient care protections and enhanced professional and economic standards that will help keep experienced RNs at the bedside. The agreement covers some 450 RNs at the Las Vegas hospital who are members of NNOC/NNU. RNs say the settlement could influence negotiations at 16 other HCA-affiliated hospitals in Florida, Texas, and Missouri where NNU members are also in talks for a first contract. "The patient care provisions we negotiated at MountainView could serve as a model for what is possible for registered nurses to achieve in contract talks with HCA-affiliated hospitals in these other states," said Marissa Gutierrez, a critical care RN at MountainView. "When RNs stick together for quality NOVEMBER 2011 patient care and our professional practice, it is a win for everyone—patients, nurses, our hospital and the community." One key element was the hospital's agreement to create a staffing committee that would begin examining the hospital's staffing grids and make changes, starting with the hiring of additional RNs in the medical-surgical units to assist with staffing and patient care needs during patient admissions and discharges, as well as to assure nurses are able to take meal and rest breaks. Additionally, the hospital agreed there would be no mandatory overtime. "RNs on the medical-surgical units have desperately needed a nurse position to help with admissions, discharges, and break relief," said Desha-aka Maria Ygente, RN, a medical-surgical floor RN at the hospital. "Our new contract calls for the creation of 'Rescue RNs,' who work overlapping shifts, and don't have their own patient assignments to enable them to perform those functions. When we organized and elected to become part of NNOC/NNU we knew we had become part of a tradition of setting precedent for RNs nationally. The Rescue RN has been added to that tradition." W W W. N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G Additional staffing and a ban against forced overtime are significant measures to cut down on fatigue and stress, which are essential to improved patient care and reducing potential medical errors. Similarly, the pact includes provisions for safe patient handling, including patient lift equipment and training, and policies to assure nurses are only assigned to areas for which they have proper clinical competency. Further, the contract establishes a professional practice committee (PPC), elected by RNs, to meet with management to resolve various patient care issues. RNs will receive pay increases ranging from 9 to 19 percent over the 3.5 years of the pact. Other elements of the first contract include provisions for professional advancement, such as paid educational leave for RNs, procedures for resolving employment disputes, and fair policies to address layoffs, job bidding, and scheduling. "I am proud to stand with my colleagues in support of this agreement," said Liz Bickle, RN, who works in the progressive care unit. "The gains we made make me excited to continue my career in a facility that will really value skilled, experienced nurses." —Staff report N AT I O N A L N U R S E 5

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