Grievance / Unit Updates
RN Reassignments

In early January, NYPNU’s leadership requested an emergency meeting with the Hospital Administration to address concerns and rumors regarding the closing of units and potential for layoffs. On January 6th, NYPNU’s Leadership and the Hospital’s Administration met regarding these concerns.

On January 13, 2009, NYPNU President Maureen McCarthy held an Informational Membership Meeting in an effort to provide our members with ACCURATE information in a timely manner.

In the meeting Ms. McCarthy informed members of the latest information we received:

1. Due to sustained decrease in patient volume, the Hospital’s Administration is consolidating patient care and reducing the bed capacity from 506 to 460 beds.
2. There will be some staff layoffs, however, no NYPNU RN will be laid off.
3. Lenox Hill Hospital is not closing or merging.
4. 8 Wollman and 9 Uris have switched locations. They have moved their entire staff RNs, nurse managers.
5. New 9 Uris Med Surge – The purpose of this move is to add 13 Medicine and General Surgery beds facilitating admissions from PACU and ED.
6. New 8 Wollman Orthopedics – Patient rooms are larger to help accommodate all orthopedic equipment, i.e. CPM machines.
7. 3 Wollman will remain closed, RNs displaced.
8. 4 Wollman move to 7 Wollman, 7 Wollman nurses displaced.
9. 9 Wollman will receive 8 monitored beds for surgical patients.

Displacements

• 47 NYPNU RNs have been displaced due to unit closures and consolidations.
• 70 RN vacancies exist throughout the Hospital and the Administration is working to fill those with LHH NYPNU displaced RNs. <
• NYPNU Displaced RNs have the following options:

1. Choose a position from the vacancy list.
2. Choose to join a critical care or med/surge float pool.
3. Choose to exercise their bumping rights as per Article IX – Seniority in our CBA.

NYPNU will be monitoring this process to ensure contractual rights are adhered to.

Union Events Committee

We would like to create a NYPNU Events Committee who will be in charge of planning events for the Union.

• Have you ever thought of an event that you wished NYPNU could organize for our membership?
• Have you ever wished that NYPNU marched in any of New York City’s parades?
• Would you be interested in a one day bowling tournament against other units?
• Can you imagine a NYPNU family day at an amusement park?
• Can you imagine a NYPNU multi-cultural day at the Union Office?

Past events have included picnics in the park, a Circle Line Cruise around Manhattan and minor league baseball games. Please contact Kathrina at the Union if you would like to be part of this Event Planning Committee and we will schedule a meeting. Let’s organize some NYPNU events this year and let’s spend some time together and in a display of Union Solidarity and Strength.

NYPNU Contract Training

Would you be interested in learning more about various provisions of your NYPNU Contract? We have received numerous requests to organize a NYPNU Contract Training Course. A NYPNU Contract Training Course will include explanations on key contract issues: wages, vacation, free, and holiday time, figuring the VHF factor on your unit, self-scheduling, weekend scheduling, nurse-patient ratios, grievance procedures, etc.

We would also have mock cases to discuss what to do in various real scenarios that have come up at the Hospital.

This course would be organized for a Saturday morning from 9am – 12pm. Please contact Kathrina if you are interested in attending. If at least 25 nurses sign up, we will move forward with setting a date, organizing training and developing a curriculum. Please respond by March 1st.

Issues / Concerns on Your Unit

If the nurses on your Unit have a particular concern and need to speak to someone at the Union, let’s make arrangements to have a meeting.

First, speak to your Delegate and/or Unit Representative on your floor and your nurses. Find out when is the best time to meet with Kathrina at the Union. Call or email Kathrina to schedule appointment.

Centralization of Electronic Medical Administration Record – April 2009

To facilitate patient safety and provide mechanisms for proper follow up, the hospital plans to centralize it medical administration records. Electronic centralization will be particularly helpful when patients are transferred to different units.

Sick Time Buyout
2008 – Phase 1

Congratulations to all 119 NYPNU RNs who are eligible for the payout under the Sick Time Buyout Program. Your Nurse Manager will be distributing letters to all RNs who have met the criteria for payment. The letter will ask you to choose whether you prefer to receive the entire payment, bank the entire time or receive a portion of the payment and bank the remaining time.

2009 – Phase 2

For the period January 1, 2009 – December 31, 2009, the sick time payout for those who meet the criteria will be 55.5 hours.

To be eligible in 2009, the following criteria must be met:

• An RN must have 112 sick hours of prior sick time accrual (“the bank”) as of December 31, 2008.
• An RN can use no more than 34.5 hours of sick time.
• An RN must have no unexcused absences.
• An RN cannot call in sick on any day of a week in which the RN is scheduled to work four (4) days as his/her regular schedule.
• RNs calling in sick must call (3) hours in advance of their scheduled state time.
• RNs who meet these conditions may opt to be paid out for 55.5 hours in January 2010.
• If an RN uses less than 34.5 hours of sick time, the difference will be placed in RNs sick bank.

2008 Perfect Attendance Bonus

Congratulations to the following nurses who had perfect attendance in 2008 and will receive a $500 Bonus:

Adele Adams, Rosemarie Aday, Elizabeth Braham, Marion Califra, Elizabeth Casella-Cohen, Alesia Daye, Janice Dean, Ronald Estigoy, Barbara Ford, Kamela Girdhari, Kathleen Green, Natalie Gubareff, Lolita Holder, Robert Ilse, V’Nas Murphy, Jeanne Nocero, Daisy Nunez, Dora Rosenthal, Noeta Silva, Joan Stanigar, Maria Villones, Anne White, Regina Yuneman.

Monthly Meeting Plan with Management

NYPNU’s Leadership is proud to announce the implementation of Monthly Meetings with Management. The kickoff date is Monday, February 9th.

Your delegate and / or unit representative will be responsible meeting with members in their respective units to discuss member concerns / issues. The delegate and / or unit representative will then bring your concerns to your nurse manager or management representative.

We will record progress on concerns here at the Union Office. Your delegate will bring information back to your unit, updating members on management’s responses to their concerns. We anticipate that this will improve communication on units, and facilitate information flow from management to NYPNU members.

Director Kathrina Suarez spoke to the Nurse Managers and Nursing Leadership at the Hospital regarding the implementation of monthly meeting on units. They were very supportive of this initiative.

If your unit does not have a delegate and/or unit representative, please contact the union office as soon as possible.

NYPNU Student Nurse Program – Winter 2009

On Thursday January 22nd, the Winter 2009 NYPNU Student Nurses graduated. We want to thank all of their preceptors for assisting them. The student nurses were so appreciative of this immense learning opportunity. They feel better prepared to care for patients and to pass their board exam. Furthermore, they felt this opportunity gave them increased confidence at the patient’s bedside.

Please see NYPNU’s website for a picture of the Student Nurses Winter 2009.

American Red Cross Disaster Health Services Institute

The American Red Cross of Greater New York will be offering one day training to become a Red Cross Disaster Health Services Volunteer. Volunteers fill a vital role from staffing at shelters, participation in disaster responses and ensuring the health and safety of their Red Cross colleagues and primary responders. If you are interested in participating in this program, please see www.nyredcross.org/healthinstitute for more information.