Citizens have a right to expect a hospital to be staffed so they will be well cared for. Guaranteeing a minimum number of hospital staff is necessary to accomplish this. Tell Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center administration to negotiate guaranteed staffing with the union.
Why is this important?
I am a nurse with 35 years experience. I work at Christus St. Vincent hospital. I am a member of District 1199NM National Health Care Union of Hospital and Heath Care Employees.
Parts of the hospital are chronically understaffed. This is a health and safety issue for both the patients and the staff. As part of contract negotiations 1199NM has asked for a guaranteed minimum level of staffing. The hospital administration is refusing to negotiate this. This is possible to do. California currently has a law mandating staffing levels.
A study in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded “staffing of RNs below target levels was associated with increased mortality.”
The Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania had the same finding.
