Nurses at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children and Hahnemann University Hospitals, both in Philadelphia, want patient limits to be written into their union contract, which expires at the end of November, according to KYW Newsradio.
Nurses at both hospitals said they see anywhere from five to six patients at once and cannot give patients all the time and attention they deserve.
"Optimal care. That's the idea here," Maria Plano, RN, a pediatric nurse at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, told KYW Newsradio. "I can give you care, but it might not be the best care because I have too many patients. I'm juggling too much."
Ms. Plano also said the limits are a matter of patient safety.
"If you're running from room to room, you know, you're not able to do the check and the care like you're taught, like you're supposed to," she told KYW Newsradio.
El Segundo, Calif.-based American Academic Health System, which owns both hospitals, shared the following statement with Becker's Hospital Review:
"American Academic Health System’s first and foremost priority is the health and well-being of all patients who come to us for care. Driven by our commitment to providing high-quality and safe care, we staff to patient acuity levels. Since acquiring Hahnemann University Hospital and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children earlier this year, American Academic Health System has been strategically reviewing operations to learn where improvements and enhancements need to be made. We encourage colleagues to bring forward issues and concerns to hospital and system leadership. The focus is to enact positive changes that will improve employee morale and patient satisfaction to the communities that we serve."
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