Healthcare workers held a vigil this week outside Sisters of Charity Hospital's St. Joseph Campus in Cheektowaga, N.Y., to raise awareness over staffing issues, according to a Time Warner Cable News report.
Here are four things to know about the vigil and staffing issues at the hospital.
1. Nurses at Buffalo, N.Y.-based Catholic Health believe understaffing is an issue at hospitals. They say nurse-to-patient ratios should be at least 1-to-3, rather than 1-to-8, according to the report.
2. In response to the vigil, Catholic Health released a statement saying the vigil "does nothing to move the bargaining process forward" on contracts for registered nurses at St. Joseph Campus, who are represented by Communication Workers of America 1168. The bargaining process began in June, and the workers' latest contract expired in August.
3. Catholic Health officials also contend the union is ignoring some contractual language related to staffing, and noted that since bargaining began, 18 RNs have been hired at St. Joseph Campus, with 32 new RNs hired year-to-date.
4. For the full statement from Catholic Health, click here.
More articles on workforce and labor management:
2 in 3 baby boomer RNs considering retirement: 3 findings
St. Jude to undertake $7B expansion, add jobs: 8 things to know
Eastern Connecticut Health Network to freeze wages, contributions: 4 things to know