Staffing ratios refer to the number of patients a nurse is responsible for caring for. Nursing advocates across the state have repeatedly tried to get laws passed mandating certain nurse-to-patient ratios for different hospital settings, but few lawmakers have ever backed them.
“We had been taking inappropriate assignments, and the flu just kind of exacerbated it to the point where I was hearing coworkers say, over and over, ‘This feels like COVID all over again,’” Wu said.
Premier Health said in a statement it doesn’t believe union representation is needed for its employees.
“We believe that fostering an environment built on direct, two-way communication, where we understand and address the daily realities of our caregivers needs, makes union representation unnecessary,” a statement from Premier Health said.
Wu says that type of communication isn’t happening.
“There’s a pattern here of not working with physician groups, not working with staff to do what’s right for them,” said Wu.
Leadership pushback
Coupled with concerns over patient safety given hospital staff being strained by patient loads, Wu and others began to organize in order to try to find a solution, she said.
“We’ve had a lot of support from the people that we’ve directly talked to,” Wu said. “Our biggest hurdle has been reaching people, though. The hospital administration has kind of really come down hard on us, trying to stop us from unionizing.”
One of the other organizers was reportedly fired over passing out flyers, according to the group trying to unionize. They’ve filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.
“We both came in on a day off, and we went around the hospital to different break rooms, passing out flyers, promoting our union, and we were actually met by two hospital administrators that agreed that we were allowed to be there,” Wu said.
The next day, though, they were put on administrative leave that lasted more than a week, Wu said.
Wu, who was also put under corrective action following the incident with the flyers, said they were told they had violated a solicitation policy. Wu also said they were unaware of the policy.
Premier Health does not comment on specific personnel matters, the hospital system told the Dayton Daily News.
Communication with staff, physician groups
Wu cited the lack of communication over the solicitation policy and a recent incident with an anesthesia group leaving the hospital system after not being able to come to a contract agreement Premier Health. The anesthesia group leaving led to elective surgeries being rescheduled, she said.
“Premier Health has made rapid progress in creating an academic anesthesia medicine model and employing anesthesiologists and other anesthesia clinicians, after learning in early April that one of our contract anesthesia groups would be ceasing operations,” Premier Health said in a statement.
Premier Health Anesthesia launched Thursday, the hospital said.
“Our caregivers have worked hard to minimize any disruption to elective surgeries and uphold the high standards of care our patients and care teams expect and deserve. During this transition, we have had to reschedule some elective surgeries at Miami Valley Hospital,” Premier Health said.
A grassroots effort
The hospital has brought in a third-party company to talk to employees about unionizing, Wu said. The information being presented by the third-party company is anti-union, she said.
The group is still in the grassroots stage, trying to gauge interest and connect with other employees, she said. They are hoping to unionize under the UAW, which is what CareFlight’s union is under.
In regard to cost concerns that increasing staffing levels may have, Wu said it is cheaper for hospitals to retain experienced nurses instead of continually hiring new nurses or traveling nurses.
Less experienced nurses can potentially lead to worsening health outcomes and longer hospital stays for patients, she said.
“Patient safety saves the money. Experienced nurses, retaining nurses, not bringing in agency nurses, saves the hospital money in the long run with better patient outcomes,” Wu said.
Premier Health offers competitive compensation and benefits, it said, adding that there are opportunities for personal and professional development and growth.
“Where employees have chosen representation, we will work together productively with the common interest of serving our patients and sustaining a culture of mutual support,” Premier Health said in a statement.
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
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