Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/739311
10 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 M AY | J U N E 2 0 1 6 NEWS BRIEFS MAINE N urses at The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC) in Presque Isle went on a two-day strike July 22 and 23 to highlight management's refusal during negotiations to address key issues throughout the facility, including safe staffing, safe patient handling, and the recruitment and retention of experienced nurses. "We have done everything possible to avoid this situation, but the needs of our patients cannot wait," said bargaining team member Lori McPherson, RN. "Safe patient staffing and nurse retention are top priori- ties for the nurses in contract negotiations with TAMC." For TAMC nurses, the strike was about much more than economic issues. "If this was just about putting a little more money in our pockets, we could have signed our new contract already. We want to know that TAMC will recruit and retain the committed nurses our community needs," said Liane Koch, RN and another bargaining team member. Numerous studies have shown that strong nurse-to-patient staffing ratios improve patient outcomes, protect hospital staff, and reduce nurse burnout. A 2014 study published by Nursing Standard, for example, revealed that seven additional lives would be saved for every 100 intensive care unit patients with improved nurse-to-patient ratios. Another study by noted nursing researcher Linda Aiken and colleagues, in the Journal of American Medicine, found statistically significant relationships between lower nurses-to-patient ratios and higher levels of RN dissatisfaction and burnout. "TAMC nurses have always placed our patients first and will continue to do so, even as we strike," said Chelsea Holmes, RN. "We thank the community for their support and understanding." TAMC nurses have been working without a contract since it expired on July 7. —Staff report CALIFORNIA A fter an unprecedented one-day strike in August and hard-fought negotiations, RNs at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister have won a new contract ensuring vital patient care and nursing practice protections. The new pact covers 120 regis- tered nurses at this public hospital that serves residents of the San Benito County Health District, which in addition to the hospital includes two skilled nursing facili- ties, home healthcare, and several clinics. Despite the hospital spending more than a million dollars in public funds on anti- union consulting by one of the nation's largest law firms, RNs prevailed in winning an agreement that preserves and improves safe nursing standards, addresses the hospi- tal's chronic short staffing, improves reten- tion and recruitment, and strengthens the voice of RNs in patient care. "The nurse negotiating team is ecstatic over this agreement and particularly proud of the new contract language we won which will give nurses a real voice in patient care and nursing practice decisions," says Shanell Kerkes, an emergency department RN. Nurses thanked Hollister residents and businesses that displayed signs of support and stood with RNs at hospital board meet- ings. "As public-sector nurses who chose to live and work here in San Benito County, our nurses have always seen our patients as friends, family, and neighbors, and we couldn't have reached this new agreement without them." Highlights of the agreement include improved contract protections against unsafe staffing practices, with adequate meal and rest breaks and 12-hour rest peri- ods between shifts; maintenance of pension, health, and dental plan coverage; improved language expanding the use of regular employees over temporary contract work- ers; creation of a Nurse Quality Forum in which RNs meet with management to address patient care and working condi- tions, including staffing, standards, training, and workplace injuries; economic gains to help with nurse recruitment and retention that include raises of 9 percent over the term of the four-year contract. —Staff report Aroostook RNs strike for staffing and investment in nurses Hazel Hawkins RNs win contract after historic first strike