SRMC nurses issue strike notice
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SALEM -- Salem Regional Medical Center nurses represented by the Ohio Nurses Association (ONA), American Federation of Teachers, Salem Regional Nurses Association issued a 10-day strike notice Friday.
"We really are hoping we can settle this and come to an agreement; we will be meeting with the hospital next Thursday, Friday and Saturday, so three full days. We are focusing on safe staffing ratios; we feel if that was in our contract it would help attract nurses and really help the worst of the issues," said Sara Harkleroad, president of the Salem Registered Nurses Association and Oncology nurse at Salem Regional Medical Center.
According to a statement by the ONA, the nurses voted "overwhelmingly" in favor of issuing the notice in response to "the hospital's failure to address critical nurse staffing issues," which they say is "directly impacting patient safety and care quality." The statement also claims that "in the last year, Salem Regional Medical Center has faced severe shortages in nurse staffing," which has caused in-patient units to be closed and non-emergency patients to be boarded in the emergency department, "jeopardizing the well-being of both patients and staff." The release also notes that the hospital has lost over 100 registered nurses since 2021.
Harkleroad explained that in addition to negatively impacting the standard of care, nurses can provide both emergency and non-emergency patients, the struggle to provide the best standard of care possible puts both a physical and emotional strain on nurses.
"There's a couple of different ways it comes into play, and it's not necessarily the same impact on nurse as patient; the patient is always the number one priority. But it affects the nurses on a physical and an emotional front," said Harkleroad. "We want to provide the best care to all of our patients, and ICU patient would have the full attention of one nurse, and when you have a nurse in the emergency department trying to meet all their assignments and handle anything that walks in the door, it can be almost impossible to provide those patients with the care they need and deserve."
Harkleroad also said that these staffing issues create conditions which drive nurses to leave the profession, and to decide not to join the profession, intensifying already ongoing nursing shortages.
"It's the kind of situation that makes people not want to become nurses or stay in the nursing profession, and I don't know what a world without people willing to provide that care would look like, so we want to make sure the conditions are as good as they can be for our Salem nurses," said Harkleroad.
The nurses' primary concern is "the implementation of safe staffing standards" and "nationally recognized nurse-to-patient ratios in all patient care units that are vital to achieving optimal patient outcomes and providing high-quality care." The nurses are also demanding competitive wages which will "attract and retain skilled nursing personnel and prevent staffing difficulties and nurse turnover that directly impact patient care" moving forward.
"The patient care crisis in Salem is just one example of a statewide issue in Ohio's hospitals that's driven by greed rather than prioritizing safe patient care," said Rick Lucas, BSN, RN, CCRN, Ohio Nurses Association president and executive director. "It's time for hospital executives to prioritize the well-being of both patients and staff over profit margins. Our union sisters and brothers are united in the fight for an environment of care that prioritizes the safety and well-being of every patient and health professional in every Ohio hospital."
The nurse's union contract, which represents 120 members which Harkleroad said comprised the majority of the hospital's nursing staff, expires at 11:59 pm on April 20, with nurses scheduled to vote again on a potential strike before its commencement at 7 a.m. on April 22, 2024.
"Our patients deserve better. My fellow nurses do not want to strike, but real improvements are essential for ensuring the safety and well-being of both patients and staff. Fueled by overwhelming community support, we stand ready to fight for safer working conditions and better patient care for our community," said Harkleroad.
Harkleroad also noted that the union wanted to make keeping the community appraised of the ongoing situation a priority.
"We really want to keep the community informed; we all live in this community and want to see Salem safe and succeed," said Harkleroad.
In response to the strike-notice, Debbie Pietrzak, Salem Regional Medical Center vice president of marketing and planning, issued the following statement, saying that the Salem Regional Medical Center was continuing to negotiate in good faith:
"Salem Regional Medical Center is one of the few independent hospitals that is still not-for-profit, which means that generating a profit is not our motive. Our top priority is taking care of our patients and providing a safety net of healthcare services for our community. We are continuing good faith negotiations with the nurses' bargaining unit and our goal is to achieve a mutually agreeable contract renewal, as we have in past years. SRMC greatly appreciates the care and dedication provided by every member of our staff."