Hi Nurse Warriors, today August 9, 2024 many union members met with management for our monthly labor management meeting. Below is a summary of what was covered. All members are invited to join labor management which happens every second Friday of the month.

Our Agenda

• 8 South

• Weiler Campus Emergency Department

• HHA

• Moses Radiology

• Wow, Rover, etc. battery and technology Issues

• Changes to NW 1 assignments

8 South:

Stacey E and Veronica B reported on the challenges and concerns of 8 South regarding: exorbitant floating of incumbent nurse while travel nurses with similar competencies were allowed by management to remain on their unit; pulling overtime staff and therefore leaving their unit continually short; and the use of step down and infusion medications and procedures, although management during staffing arbitration reported there were no step down patients on the unit. They reported on the exorbitant number of admissions that they can receive in one shift, the difficulties of not having the correct number of support staff secretaries, and CCT to engage and share the workload of EKGs, blood draws and fingersticks. They reported that even when they have the Department of Health agreed on number of CCTs, the CCTs are floated to other units. Jonathan, Brenda and Diane from management made remarks around the travel nurses not having the correct competences. NYSNA demanded that the travel nurses retain the competences and be floated first, for management to provide clarity on step down procedures, and for protocols and infusion medications be clarified and standardized across the organization. Management agreed and reported that they were working on training the CCT’s and that additional IV insertion skills training would be provided to new RNs

Weiler ED

Donnet R S reported that Management had created a mini 2-bedded ICU for admitted patients in the Weiler ED. These patients should be in beds in our ICUs. This initiative reduces the number of ED nurses available to care for other patients and adds to further staffing violations. Management, Johnathan Green, said they would discuss with PCCs as the initiative was not meant to create such situations.

Montefiore Hutch:

Convention delegate Lisa W G from the Hutch shared very concerning information about the hostile, unprofessional work environment that their staffing team had been enduring since Christmas. They filed several complaints to the compliance board, but this resulted in an escalation of hostility from their manager. Janice Reyes from labor relations promised to conduct an investigation.

Moses Radiology:

Dan H. registered nurse from Moses radiology, reported about the proposed renovation of one of their much-needed procedural rooms. He listed several concerns that the team had identified. They were scheduled for a 2 PM meeting.

WOW, Rover, battery, and Technology Issues:

Moses convention delegate Shirley E from the float pool reported that there are gross difficulties with acquiring and maintaining the computer batteries that fuel our WOWs. Nursing Leadership reported that new batteries for the WOWs were in fact being shipped to Montefiore. A follow-up letter was sent to inquire about the delivery date, which units the batteries will go to considering that many nurses from various units across the organizations were in agreement regarding the struggles with the batteries for the WOWs.

NW1:

It was reported from staff of Northwest One that their manager was trying to push the nurses to assume the care of 1 step down patient which should be 1 to 3 step down mixed with regular one to four patients. We all know this is a very unsafe practice and a violation to the contract. Teresa, Director of nursing for critical care, reported she will look into it. NYSNA demanded that the practice stop, halt, and desist immediately irrespective of any investigation management said they would do as the CBA is clear.

HHA:

Vanessa Weldon, executive chair, reported to nursing leadership of HHA the need for weekend escorts for when HHA nurses required them. Management's excuse for not having escorts available was that the escorts were on vacation, so they would look into it. RN Welle D also reported that the business partners that prepare the HHA nurse's schedules were trying to define set days off for the nurses and requested that this practice stop. Management was not aware of the issue and said they would look into it! There was also discussion regarding how nurse visits were being bundled. Management also said they would look into it.

Health and Safety:

Once again, we had to raise the issue of not receiving the workplace violence report in a timely fashion. Labor relations admitted fault and forwarded the report in the middle of the meeting.

NYSNA discovered that more needs to be done to standardize how we keep our staff safe. For example, a Moses staff member was pepper sprayed even though we have a weapons detector. Nurses suggested additional safeguards to lessen the likelihood of pepper spray being allowed into the facility. We again desire to have alerts placed on the patient’s charts that are very challenging. There were a number of other violence instances against nurses in the workplace items that we made suggestions to for a better safer environment.

NYSNA Workplace Violence Committee:

Management agreed to our demands and the workplace violence committee will commence very soon.

ID scanning

Management is looking to establish this very soon. They will pilot this at the 210 entrances at the Moses campus where staff will have to scan their IDs. We have been assured that this protocol will in no way be used for disciplinary purposes. It’s a way for the organization to validate the active from inactive staff.