To: Margaret Lewis, Interim Assistant Chief Nursing Officer, Ruby Crawford-Hemphill, Assistance Chief Nursing Officer, Teri Grau, Assistant Vice President of Professional Services, Kerri Hastings, Outside Counsel, Joseph Broderick, UCMC Boar...
Tell the University of Cincinnati Medical Center to Put Patients First
I stand with the nurses at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UCMC) and their campaign to put patient care first. Cincinnatians should be confident that they’re receiving the highest quality of care, but UCMC is cutting corners in order to pad their bottom line. UCMC needs to put patients first by investing in their nurses.
Why is this important?
Evidence says that when nurses are safe, patients are safe. When nurses are not safely staffed, mortality, readmissions and medical errors increase. Nurses are the frontline healthcare workers and ethically-bound to advocate for the care of their patients. Putting patients first means investing in safe nurse staffing.
Safe Staffing
Units at UCMC are continually short staffed – a potentially dangerous practice that can lead to compromised patient care, especially with the ill patients UCMC sees as a result of being the Greater Cincinnati area’s only Level 1 trauma center. Although the medical center’s nurse staffing plans call for more nurses, UCMC is requiring nurses to care for more patients than ever. UCMC nurses routinely work short staffed which leads to exponential turnover, nurse fatigue, burnout, and increased risk of harm to their patients.
Nurses at UCMC are standing united in their efforts to put patients first, demanding the medical center invest in safe nurse staffing. Safe nurse staffing means Cincinnatians receive the quality care they deserve.
Nurse Turnover
Nurses at UCMC have to be the top in their field; they care for sickest patients in the tri-state area. Yet, UCMC nurses are paid up to $4/hour less than nurses at neighboring hospitals.
The lower wages coupled with short staffing has caused record turnover. In three years, UCMC has lost over 800 skilled nurses. Nearly 1,000 letters were sent to the medical center’s new Chief Nursing Officer outlining the nurses’ issues and asking for a collaborative opportunity to make things right. While the nurses are hopeful for change, they need your help to ensure their voices are heard. Sign this petition to tell UCMC management to listen to the nurses and put patients first.
About RNA and UCMC
The Registered Nurses Association (RNA) is the union representing the registered nurses of University of Cincinnati Medical Center. With approximately 1,500 members, RNA advocates for quality health care and strives to provide the best care in the tri-state area. RNA is currently negotiating a contract with UCMC that ensures quality patient care and safe nurse staffing. RNA is a constituent of the Ohio Nurses Association, AFT Nurses and Health Professionals and the American Nurses Association.
UCMC is a comprehensive, teaching hospital that provides access to health care for all of the Tri-State area, regardless of ability to pay. Cincinnati families depend on UCMC being ready for any health emergency and medical condition. UCMC is the only Level 1 trauma center in the city, only one of seven psychiatric emergency departments in the country, conducts liver, kidney, pancreas and heart transplants, is a comprehensive stroke center and holds burn, heart failure, perinatal and baby friendly certifications.