Nurses at MultiCare Health System's Tacoma (Wash.) General Hospital have reached a tentative agreement with management on staffing ratios, reports The News Tribune.
The tentative agreement covers more than 700 nurses represented by the Washington State Nurses Association. It must be ratified by nurses before it can take effect.
MultiCare spokeswoman Marce Edwards said nurses are expected to conduct a contract ratification vote next month, according to the report, which cites a statement.
"If ratified, the new contract will include generous wages and benefits, language defining the staffing standards applicable to Tacoma General nurses as they continue to provide the highest quality of care to our community, and a four-year contract duration," Ms. Edwards wrote.
The tentative agreement comes about a month after nurses boycotted voluntary overtime and extra shifts. Nurses have also staged rallies and moved to hold a strike advisory vote, according to the report. The strike advisory vote, which was scheduled for Friday, was canceled.
A key sticking point in negotiations has been the hospital's "break buddy" system, which allows a nurse to take two 15-minute breaks per shift while a colleague watches over the patients assigned to both nurses, according to the report. Nurses have pushed for better staffing ratios, as well as eliminating the "break buddy" system.
According to the report, hospital executives previously said it would cost $13 million to hire up to 120 more nurses to cover those breaks.
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