APRIL 2018
A NEWSLETTER FOR NYSNA RNs AT NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS
Nurses from Queens, Elmhurst and Bellevue Hospitals speak out at NYC H+H Annual Meetings about the need for safe staffing
Major Staffing Gains at NYC H+H! Due to the persistent efforts of NYSNA members and leaders, NYC Health + Hospitals has substantially increased the hiring of staff nurses. More than 200 new RNs have been hired over the last few weeks alone. These nurses will help us to deliver the quality of care that our patients deserve, relieve the threat to our licenses that constant short staffing poses, and help add to our power in the struggle for quality care for all. Several hospitals in the NYC H+H system have been running Protest of Assignment (POA) campaigns to demonstrate the persistent shortages in some units, and to make the case for hiring new nurses. Nurses have also become more active in advocating for safe staffing outside of our facilities. We know that our public hospital system hasn’t always been a revered part of NYC’s infrastructure. Under Mayor Bloomberg, we saw persistent efforts to eliminate and privatize NYC H+H’s services. That’s one of the reasons NYSNA nurses stood behind Bill de Blasio’s candidacy for Mayor in 2013 and his re-election in 2017—his strong belief in our public hospital system and his best efforts to make the system financially sustainable. We are seeing our support pay off. The Mayor just released the City budget, which provides NYC Health + Hospitals with $905 million in funding, an 18% increase from last year. It also provides $772 million to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, an increase
of nearly $90 million from last year. We are pleased that the City budget includes an increase in funding for NYC H+H, and we are also pleased with Mayor de Blasio’s selection of Dr. Mitchell Katz as the new President and CEO of the NYC Health + Hospitals system. Dr. Katz has said he will not follow in the footsteps of previous leaders who have tried to slash staff and services in order to make NYC H+H more profitable. “So far, there’s a good response downtown,” said Verginia Stewart, RN, Metropolitan Hospital and NYSNA Board Member. “They are following through on what Dr. Katz has told us—that H+H’s focus should be on hiring direct care workers—doctors, nurses and social workers. They can make cuts to administrative staff, but we need to hire more nurses.” NYC H+H is an essential element of New York City’s healthcare system, delivering high-quality care to more than one million patients every year, and providing a safety net for New Yorkers who are uninsured, undocumented, and otherwise would not be able to access healthcare. The health of New York City depends on NYC H+H—and it depends on having enough nurses.
I Am Proud to Stand with the Men and Women in Our Hospitals and Support Safe Staffing Levels that Ensure the Highest Quality of Care” —Governor Andrew Cuomo issuing a directive to the state Department of Labor on April 15th to support safe staffing in New York’s hospitals.
WE ARE NURSES, WE ARE NYSNA!
ton, DC to protest in the halls of Congress and at the doors of Congress members; we contacted state legislators with our concerns; and we traveled to Albany for a Code Blue Rally with hundreds of other healthcare workers to speak in one united voice for patients throughout New York State Judith says, ““Here in New York, nurses and other caregivers, our community allies and many supporters are looking to our allies in state government to fight these cuts from Washington and allocate sufficient healthcare funding in the state budget.”
Nurse Advocacy Protects Our Patients and Our Practice In the last year, nurses have seen unprecedented attacks on America’s healthcare system from the federal government. From the attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, to a tax plan that tried to defund it by reducing subsidies to the low- and middle-income patients, to a federal budget that slashes funding for our safety net hospitals, to the continued threats to Medicaid and Medicare—healthcare practitioners and patients have been on the defensive. “When funding for healthcare is cut back or eliminated, our patients are harmed,” says Judith Cutchin, RN, President, NYC H+H & Mayorals Executive Council. “Legislation being considered in Washington will leave many additional Americans without health insurance in the next decade. That means many cannot afford care and will not get it. That means more sick Americans.”
Our advocacy worked! The state budget addresses many of the concerns that NYSNA and our allies raised with elected leaders in the last several months. The recently passed New York State budget: • Preserves New York’s Essential Plan, so that low- to middle-income patients can maintain health insurance. • Enacts Enhanced Safety Net Hospital legislation, which will deliver supplemental funding to all public hospitals, rural “critical access” and “sole community” hospitals, and private safety net hospitals with high rates of Medicaid/uninsured patients and low rates of private insurance. The new budget includes $50 million in funding for covered hospitals and the possibility of additional federal matching money. Nurses and our union and healthcare advocate allies pushed hard for fair funding for safety net hospitals, and it is our expectation that with increased funding, our public hospitals will improve staffing and patient safety.
• Does NOT include the Community Paramedicine Collaborative proposal. We beat back the attack on our scope of practice!
We have seen threats at the state level, as well. A Community Paramedicine Collaborative proposal in the state budget would have eroded nurses’ scope of practice and compromised patient care by allowing EMTs and paramedics to deliver non-emergency care in peoples’ homes.
NYSNA nurses are demonstrating the power of our advocacy. The conditions in our facilities—particularly our public hospitals—are directly impacted by national, state and local public policies. By speaking out with our frontline experience, we are making a difference.
Instead of shrinking in the face of these challenges, NYSNA patient defenders spoke out for our patients and our practice at every opportunity: we went to Washing-
According to Judith, “When we stand up here in New York, we make a difference. We have a powerful voice. We can stop cuts to care. We must continue to demand healthcare justice for our patients and ourselves!”
A Newsletter for NYSNA RNs at Erie County Medical Center
APRIL 2018
Harlem Nurses Speak Out for Patient Care NYSNA nurses at Harlem Hospital recently noticed an unusual problem on the third floor of the hospital— the hallway of the Endoscopy unit was being filled up with non-functional stretchers and oxygen tanks! Realizing that the “stretcher graveyard” posed a threat to patient safety, several nurses banned together to do something about it. “Patients often came into pain management with canes and walkers,” explained Florita Gilmore, RN. “It was getting ridiculous and nearly impossible to move through the area. It was a real patient safety concern.” Head nurses Florita Gilmore, RN and Bernadette Carter, RN, along with pain clinic nurse Jeanni Johnson, RN and Executive Board Member Jacqui Gilbert, RN, called a meeting with the CNO to discuss the hazards on the third floor and demand that the Endoscopy unit get cleared out and cleaned up. “Our patients should feel they’re in a safe environment when they come into the hospital,” said Florita. “No one should be put in harms way. Patient safety should be the foundation of patient satisfaction and patient experience, and it should be the first priority—for both nurses and the administration.” According to Florita, “I had been emailing my supervisor and the person in charge of transport about this problem for a while. In the end, all it took was three union nurses voicing our concerns to the CNO. The next day, the problem was solved and the hallway was cleaned up!” Congratulations to Harlem Hospital nurses for their vigilance and attention to patient safety!
Celebrating Women’s History Month Be a leader. Be strong. Be proactive. Be together.” —Coney Island nurses share words of advice and inspiration to the younger generation of women and to their fellow union members.
NYSNA nurses at Kings County and Coney Island Hospitals celebrated Women’s History Month with “Lunch and Learn” meetings, where we explored how women—and especially women union members—changed the course of history. We were excited to be joined at Kings County by Janella Hines, Secretary-Treasurer of the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, who spoke about how the Janus case at the Supreme Court is threatening to turn back the clock on the progress we have made as women, as union members, and as public sector workers. Remember: there is strength in unity!
UPCOMING EVENTS
(For more information or to register, ask your NYSNA Rep)
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LOBBY DAY
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ADDICTION: OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD
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CHARTING WITH A JURY IN MIND PT. II
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CRITICAL CARE NRSG CERT. REVIEW
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LEADERSHIP TRAINING PT. 1
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SAFE PATIENT HANDLING
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CASE MANAGEMENT CERT. REVIEW
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INFECTION CONTROL CERT. REVIEW
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MULTI-UNION LOBBY DAY
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SINGLE PAYER LOBBY DAY
April 23, Albany April 25, NYC Metropolitan Hospital April 27, NYC NYSNA Office May 1, NYC Mt. Sinai Hospital May 2, Staten Island May 2, Staten Island May 3, NYC NYSNA Office May 7 & 8, NYC NYSNA Office May 8, Albany June 5, Albany
NEW: Must-have course for Psych Nurses looking to become certified There are three opportunities to take an exceptional new FREE course offered by NYSNA— The Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse: Principles of Professional Nursing Practice and Certification Review Program. For more information and to register, visit: http://bit.ly/psychcourse
NYC H+H & MAYORAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CHAIRS RNS: • Naomi Greene, Administration for Children’s Services • Todd Schultz, Bellevue Hospital Center • Jovana Woodley, Coler Specialty Hospital & Nursing Facility • Ray Briggs, Coney Island Hospital • Audrey Morgan, Correctional Health Services • Florence Exinor, Cumberland D & T Center • Keysha Morris, Department of Correction • Theresa Minarik, Department of Sanitation • Patricia Morris, Dr. Susan Smith McKinney Nursing & Rehab Ctr • Deborah Gatson, East NY D & T Center • Pauline Williams, Elmhurst Hospital Center • James Ambery, Fire Department • Kittie McGee, Harlem Hospital Center • Grace Lee, Gouverneur Healthcare Services • Peter Pacheco, Henry J. Carter Specialty Hosp. & Nursing Facility • Rivka Elyahu, HHC Health and Home Care • Yelena Levin, Human Resources Administration • Mary Simon, Jacobi Medical Center • Curlean Duncan, Kings County Hospital Center • Marsha Wilson, Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center • Charles Mighty, Metropolitan Hospital Center • Nicole Smith Ferguson, Morrisania D & T Center • Lynne Sanderson Burgess, Police Department • Sharon Greenaway, North Central Bronx Hospital • Lindella Artman, Queens Hospital Center • Stephen Nartey, Renaissance Healthcare Network • Kimberly Yeo, Sea View Hospital Rehabilitation Center & Home • Natalie Solomon, Segundo Ruiz Belvis D&TC • Judith Cutchin, Woodhull Medical & Mental Health Center
GET ANSWERS/STAY IN TOUCH Dental benefit questions: www.Aetna.com, 877-238-6200 Prescription benefit questions: www.optumrx.com, 888-691-0130 For all other benefits: www.ASOnet.com, 888-692-7671 NYSNA NYC Office: www.nysna.org, 212 785 0157
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