National Nurses United

8 N A T I O N A L N U R S E 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 S E P T E M B E R | O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 NEWS BRIEFS MASSACHUSETTS I n an election held among the 47 registered nurses at Athol Hospital in late September, RNs voted to join the Massachusetts Nurses Association/National Nurses United. Athol Hospital RNs greeted the election results with cheers and hugs after the vote was tallied. MNA already represents more than 23,000 nurses and healthcare profes- sionals in 85 healthcare facilities in Massa- chusetts and, with the addition of Athol Hospital, now represents nurses in 53 of the state's 67 acute-care hospitals. "Our goal in forming a union at Athol was first and foremost to ensure that our patients are given the best care possible," said Denise Raymond, an emergency department RN at Athol and a member of the organizing committee. "We made this decision with the best interests of this community and this hospital in mind. As registered nurses, we are responsible for the care we provide to our patients and now for the first time we will have a say in how we deliver that care." MNA President Donna Kelly-Williams, who works as a labor and delivery RN at Cambridge Hospital, congratulated the Athol nurses for their courageous effort to stand up for their protected right to advo- cate for their patients and themselves. "When nurses are organized, patients are the biggest beneficiaries," said Kelly- Williams. In the wake of the economic downturn and changes in the industry driven by healthcare reform, MNA/NNU reports that its organizing division is fielding a signifi- cant increase in calls from non-union nurs- es. The Athol election follows the addition to the union of RNs at Stewart Nashoba Valley Medical Center in July, and Agawam School Nurses earlier this year. With the election settled, the Athol Hospital nurses will begin the work of form- ing their local committee. They will elect members to their bargaining committee, and have already begun soliciting proposals from colleagues about what they would like to negotiate into their first contract. —David Schildmeier MASSACHUSETTS A s berkshire Medical Center and local and state officials continue to work on reestab- lishing desperately needed healthcare services for North- ern Berkshire County following the illegal and unexpected closing of North Adams Regional Hospital (NARH) in March, a long-awaited report commissioned by the state to evaluate the health needs of the region was released in mid September. The report, prepared by Stroudwater Associates, a healthcare consulting firm, confirms the need for inpatient services for the 37,000 residents of northern Berkshire County currently without those services. Despite finding that residents have critical health needs and lack the transportation services to access alternative sites, the report still sanctions denying necessary services without further federal assistance. The report ties the restoration of services to the financial "viability" of those services and support from the federal government through enhanced reimbursement. The report clearly shows that the resi- dents of Northern Berkshire County live in a region that is "worse off than the state and national average for a number of health status indicators. Asthma, most cancers, and heart disease incidences are higher than the state average, and high percentages of the population are overweight, have a disability, and report poor general health. Combined, these factors create a vulnerable population for healthcare services." The report also notes that the fastest-growing segment of the population is individuals 65 years and older, a population that has the highest utilization of and need for inpatient services. The report also cites broad commu- nity concerns about issues with the lack of Athol Hospital nurses in northern Massachusetts unionize Report confirms need for full-service hospital, officials still won't step up

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