Letter from The Organizing Committee Nurses Of Memorial, Hahnemann, and Home Health and Hospice

June 18,2001

Dear Registered Nurses:

In the past ten years we have seen Memorial, Hahnemann and Home Health evolve from patient oriented, employee friendly institutions to the current corporate health care system of Umass Memorial Health Care (UMMHC). Through this metamorphosis, we have remained faithful to the memory that administration would do right by their loyal nurses. Instead, we have seen the loss of holidays, personal time, 2-1 sick time, earned time cash outs and vacation benefits. Instead of each merger strengthening the staff, we have experienced the rights of every nurse getting weaker as time goes on. We have negotiated in good faith as nonunionized employees for three long years. We were told by administration that we would have parity within two years of the merger. There was even language in the merger protecting the seniority of Memorial/Hahneman nurses. All of these agreements have gone by the wayside. Promises from administration are continuously broken. There is no parity and our seniority is compromised with private deals made by administrators. In the past year, administration informed nurses at staff meetings we would never have parity because Umass nurses have a bargaining unit. In the year 2000, UMMHC reported an income of 555 million. It is time to protect your future as an individual employee and as a nurse.

While employee rights and benefits are extremely important, nurses must address a more dangerous practice in our hospital system today. The practice is the use of mandatory overtime to staff the floors and the constant state of understaffed units. In the 21st century, medical technological advances, increasing MDRO patients, and constant evolving pharmacological drugs compel RN's to increase their scope of practice and at times decrease their patient contact. High patient volume translates into decreased patient education and therapeutic communication. Nursing injuries have increased to alarming levels.

"The Department of Health and Human Services has issued a study showing a direct link between low nurse staffing levels and poor patient outcomes. The study's authors contend that thousands of patients die every year because of poor staffing conditions. The Chicago Tribune reported in a three-day series last September that a majority of hospitals nationally have significantly reduced registered nurse staffs. Since 1995, at least 1,720 patients have died and 9,584 others were injured in cases linked to overwhelmed nurses, poor staffing, excessive overtime and inadequate training."

A patient is not affected by only one nurse in one unit. Their nursing care spans the entire hospital from the emergency department, to the operating room, to an intensive care unit, to a medical/surgical floor, and all the stops in between and finally Home Health. Every nurse shares the care of that patient. It is inevitable that a nurse, who is physically exhausted and mentally fatigued, while caring for an average of 5-10 high acuity patients will make a mistake: perhaps harm a patient. A negligent nurse will not be protected by the hospital no matter how many mandated hours he/she has worked. The hospital can recover from a negligence lawsuit. A nurse cannot recover from losing their license. Patients deserve nurses who are not physically exhausted or mentally fatigued.

By voting "yes" on the union ballot, you take control of your practice. You can negotiate to change the policies that control staffing and scope of nursing practice in our hospital system. June 21st will be a historical day in our hospital. It is a crossroads where every nurse can advance their nursing practice and profession by voting for a conscientious staff controlled bargaining unit. The higher the percentage of yes votes, the stronger the nursing voice. It has always been up to nurses to protect their patients. Do not let this day go by without advocating for your patients in a different arena, an MNA nursing union. Remember, the Administration and Hunter Group are waiting for your decision about your future. Show them an assertive nursing action. Vote yes!

Sincerely,

The Organizing Committee Nurses Of Memorial, Hahnemann, and Home Health and Hospice

Jacqueline Brosnihan RN, Surgery
Patricia O'Neil, RN, West 3
Pauline Gaffney RN, Emergency
Lisa Stover RN, South 6
Holly Bouley RN, South 3
Colleen Brosnihan RN, Hahnemann
Michelle Erickson RN, Home Health
Nancy Farrington RN, NICU
Kathy Jo Fisher RN, West 1
Pamela Fitzpatrick RN, Emergency
Nancy Guyan RN, Labor & Delivery
Jennifer McCarty RN, Surgery
Sharon Potter RN, South 5
Michael Calkins RN, South 2
Lori Dean RN, Labor & Delivery
Ann Denley RN, SICU
Sandra Jane Flink RN, Private Out Patient
Tonya Garafoli RN, South 2
James Mulcahy RN, CCU
Sharon Potter RN, South 5
Mary Powers RN, Surgery
Robert Pratt RN, Surgery
Judith Ricard RN, Labor & Delivery
Lynne Starbard RN, Labor & Delivery
Gail Walker RN, NICU
Karen Warren RN, Home Health
Roberta Welch RN, Emergency
Colleen Wolfe RN, South 3
Mary Wykes RN, Surgery
Cynthia Strub RN, NICU
Phyllis Dowd RN, South 4

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