Registered nurses at 10 HCA Healthcare hospitals in Florida have approved a new contract that includes COVID-19 pandemic safety provisions and a focus on safe staffing, according to the union that represents them.
The three-year agreement covers members of National Nurses Organizing Committee along Florida's Gulf Coast and in Central Florida. They work at the following facilities:
- Blake Medical Center in Bradenton
- Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford
- Doctors Hospital of Sarasota
- Fawcett Memorial Hospital in Port Charlotte
- Largo Medical Center
- Medical Center of Trinity
- Northside Hospital in St. Petersburg
- Oak Hill Hospital in Brooksville
- Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee
- St. Petersburg General Hospital
Under the new contract, Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA guarantees nurses will have access "to the highest level of personal protections" with "adequate supplies of single-use PPE," the union said in a news release.
National Nurses Organizing Committee said the agreement also includes a guarantee that nurses caring for patients suspected to have COVID-19 will receive the same standard of protective equipment provided for workers taking care of confirmed infected patients, and that the for-profit hospital operator will ensure availability of free virus tests after exposure.
"These are critical, binding steps that address some of the most serious problems we have confronted throughout the pandemic," Christina Hison, RN, a nurse at Central Florida Regional Hospital, said in the news release. "With the continued spread of the virus, especially the now-prevalent delta variant which is far more transmissible, it is essential that we have proper safety measures in place for COVID-19 that serve as a model for the future infectious diseases sure to come."
Other provisions cited by the union include economic improvements; protection of health coverage and pensions; paid time off to vote in elections; and a new RN committee to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.
HCA told Becker's: "We are pleased to report that an agreement with the union has been ratified, for our 10 hospitals in Florida covered by the contract. Now that the negotiation process is complete, we are excited to move forward and want to thank all of our caregivers who are dedicated to providing compassionate care to the communities we serve across the state."
National Nurses Organizing Committee is an affiliate of National Nurses United.