Nurses deliver strike notice, warn staffing levels put patients at risk
Nurses say current contracts allow unsafe staffing ratios, particularly in emergency rooms, where one nurse can be responsible for as many as 12 patients at a time.
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Nurses at three Long Island hospitals delivered a 10-day strike notice to Northwell Health Friday, warning they will walk off the job if contract negotiations do not result in an agreement in 10 days.
More than 1,000 nurses at Huntington Hospital, Syosset Hospital and Plainview Hospital, represented by the New York State Nurses Association, say chronic understaffing has pushed them to a breaking point and is jeopardizing patient safety.
Nurses say current contracts allow unsafe staffing ratios, particularly in emergency rooms, where one nurse can be responsible for as many as 12 patients at a time.
Tensions escalated after the executive director of Huntington Hospital accused nurses of abandoning their patients, a claim nurses strongly dispute.
“To say we’re abandoning patients is painful,” said Chris Coburne, a nurse at Plainview Hospital. "We are overworked, we are tired, we're overwhelmed. We just want to be able to feel heard. We want Northwell to hear us, that's all."
Northwell Health said it is disappointed by the union’s decision to issue a strike notice but remains committed to negotiations.
“Northwell Health is disappointed by the New York State Nurses Association’s decision to issue a strike notice, but we remain committed to negotiating a fair and sustainable contract that supports our nurses and maintains the high quality of care our community deserves,” a Northwell Health spokesperson said. “Should a strike occur, our priority will always be patient safety and care. Huntington, Plainview and Syosset Hospitals will remain fully operational, ensuring uninterrupted service for our patients.”
In response to comments made by a Huntington Hospital board member, Northwell said it has committed to providing nurses with competitive wages and benefits.
“It is disappointing that NYSNA is moving forward with a strike, especially after the hospital has committed to continue providing our nurses with competitive wages and benefits,” the spokesperson said.
If no agreement is reached by the end of the 10-day deadline, nurses at all three hospitals say they will go on strike.
