Registered Nurses represented by National Nurses United protested what they say are "eroding" patient care conditions due to high RN turnover rates at hospitals affiliated with Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems and its spin-off Brentwood, Tenn.-based Quorum Health Corp.
The RNs, all who work for CHS or Quorum hospitals, attended the CHS and Quorum Board of Directors and shareholders meetings in Franklin as a form of protest and held a news conference after the meetings, according to the union.
"To improve patient care and stabilize our RN workforce, we need Quorum to reinvest in our hospitals," Jennifer Holm, an RN at Quorum-affiliated Watsonville (Calif.) Community Hospital, said in the release. "We are reaching out to health systems that are potential buyers for Quorum hospitals, as we did to potential CHS hospital buyers, to let them know that we believe investments above and beyond the asking price will be needed to improve the operation of the hospitals. We believe the board needs a change in priorities that puts patients first and has Quorum competing based on excellence of care."
The union said the nurses also expressed their opposition to the board recommendations to approve executive compensation and endorse board candidates.
In an emailed statement to Becker's Hospital Review, CHS officials said: "We always appreciate the opportunity for a direct dialogue with caregivers who work in our affiliated hospitals, especially when constructive conversations are focused on ways to continuously improve patient care."
"Our affiliated hospitals are committed to providing quality care, facilitating a safe patient experience and providing a good work experience for their employees. Over the past few years, CHS-affiliated hospitals have reduced their serious safety event rate by nearly 80 percent. And overall employee satisfaction rate has remained above 80 percent," CHS added.
Quorum Health Corp. did not immediately return Becker's request for comment.