Nurses and their supporters rallied outside Staten Island (N.Y.) University Hospital's Ocean Breeze campus to call for safe staffing, according to a Staten Island Advance report.
The nurses are represented by the New York State Nurses Association. They rallied June 10 in support of the proposed state Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act, which mandates nurse-to-patient ratios in healthcare facilities.
"Since I've been a member of this union and since I've been a registered nurse, we have been trying to get this bill passed in Albany. We need this bill passed now," said Pat Kane, an open heart surgery registered nurse at Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze, and treasurer for state nurses association, according to the report. "We're having these rallies throughout the state and we're calling on Albany to pass our Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act."
The union said nurses fill out "protests of assignment" to inform hospital management when they feel circumstances do not allow them the ability to provide adequate care, and claim 1,815 POAs have been filed at Staten Island University Hospital over the last three years, the report states.
The protest happened as nurses are in the middle of contract negotiations with the hospital. Nurses voted May 18 to authorize the option to strike, citing staffing, health insurance, union rights and pay as key sticking points during bargaining.
Staten Island University Hospital said in a statement to the Staten Island Advance about the recent rally: "While NYSNA's social media posts, advertisements and demonstrations like the one held today at Staten Island University Hospital continue to claim that safe staffing is at the root of its contract dispute, it's now clear that the union is motivated purely by a desire to further supplement the generous retirement health benefits provided to its 1,200 members at SIUH's North Site."
The hospital also said it looks at "legitimate staffing needs" when hiring workers.
"The leadership of Staten Island University Hospital has always been committed to patient safety — a commitment that will never waver. In fact, as the needs of our patients have changed over the years, we have added staff and continually review the hospital's staffing needs, taking input from our registered nurses, medical staff and other employees," the hospital's statement reads.
The hospital said it made its "last, best and final offer" to nurses.
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