Grievance / Unit Updates
ICU Charge RN Arbitration Update
As you
know, the Union has filed a grievance and has
a pending arbitration around the hospital’s failure to provide a Charge RN in
the ICU.
The hospital’s
administration reported to NYPNU that they have made progress addressing this
as well as other RN concerns in the ICU.
The hospital has hired an additional Clinical Care Coordinator (CCC) for
the day shift, completing the day requirement; however, the hospital is still
recruiting for the 2 open night CCC positions.
In the interim, the hospital has not been 100% compliant in honoring
their commitment to provide a charge RN for both shifts. They have also ensured
that the nursing assistants have not been floated off the unit. The hospital is also narrowing down their
search for the Nurse Manager position on 7 East / 7 Lachman.
We
have been monitoring progress bi-weekly and will continue to do so. The ICU Charge arbitration will be rescheduled
for sometime in June.
In the
meantime, if you know of any candidates that may be interested in applying for
the (2) night shift CCC positions in the ICU, please ask them to forward their
resume to the recruitment office.
Cath Lab Class Action Grievance
NYPNU
has filed a class action grievance on behalf of Cath Lab RNs. A couple of months ago, 3 Staff RNs moved
into management positions. Since then,
those managers have been coming in early covering staff assignments while the
staff positions remain unfilled.
Additionally, they have unilaterally changed these positions from the
current 11.5 hours to 9.5 hour shifts.
Aside from this violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement,
changing these shifts leaves the unit without early morning coverage. We have filed a grievance for this unilateral
conversion as well as their posted requirements of BSN and mandatory critical
care experience. The grievance hearing
is scheduled for May 7th. We
will keep you updated as to the outcome.
9 Uris Meeting with Management
On
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 Vice President of Nursing Phyllis Yezzo met with staff
RNs to address concerns of the unit.
Approximately, 15 RNs on the unit from both the day and night shifts
were in attendance in a display of unity.
Unit Representative Jewrraine Lee, Delegate Kathleen Reid and NYPNU
Director Kathrina Suarez were in attendance.
The RNs expressed their desperate need for equipment: computer monitor
on wheels, blood pressure machines, IV pumps, IV polls, linen, etc. Management said that some items are currently
on order and they will check the status. The RNs articulated the urgency in
obtaining this equipment in order to be able to provide excellent patient care
in a modern facility.
The
RNs on 9 Uris are also in dire need of a unit clerk for all shifts as a result
of faxed reports system implemented on the unit. Patients arrive on unit
without any forewarning 30-40 minutes after transmission is sent. NYPNU understands the hospitals need to
facilitate throughput, admissions, transfers and discharges; however the RNs
need the appropriate ancillary staff to ensure this can occur. The 37 bed unit requires a dedicated unit
clerk and additional nursing assistants for both shifts.
In
addition, with the new medical / surgical mix of patients, RNs on unit
discussed whether it makes sense to divide the unit into medical and surgical
sides. Furthermore, RNs spoke about team
and district nursing and which would work best for this unit. We will continue to monitor the issues raised
and ensure that the contractual rights of 9 Uris RN’s are upheld.
Violation Forms
We
urge you to continue to fax over your violation forms. These forms serve as NYPNU’s systematic data
tracking mechanism on determining contract compliance on a daily basis. We need
this data to accurately reflect the day-to-day realities on your unit. Please be assured that this data is being
tracked and will result in the appropriate union action; whether it is a
meeting with management or the filing of a grievance.
