Registered nurses and hospital administrators have reached a significant tentative agreement on a new contract covering 1641 RNs in bargaining units at Good Samaritan Hospital and Regional Medical Center in San Jose the California Nurses Association announced today.
 
RNs say the agreement includes significant improvements and workplace protections as well as a wage scale that aligns with the San Jose market, all factors that will enhance the hospitals ability to retain and recruit staff. Nurses will hold a membership meeting to vote on the proposed accord on Thursday, August 18.
 
"It is absolutely essential that our hospital be able to recruit and retain adequate staff so we can provide optimal care for our patients. This agreement puts our hospital in a strong position to do just that," said Malinda Markowitz, an RN at Good Samaritan Hospital and Co-president of CNA.
 
"Nurses worked together to make sure our hospital would be a great place for nurses to work and for patients to get well. We are proud of what we accomplished," said Amy Santos, RN, Regional Medical Center.
 
ʉ۬Key elements of the pact include:

• Economic gains to help with nurse recruitment and retention that include across-the-board raises and a new wage scale that will result in increases ranging from 10.4%-32.3% over the three-year term of the agreement.
• 82 RNs including, case managers at both hospitals, and cath lab, cardiac rehab and core measures nurses at Good Samaritan, are incorporated into the bargaining units and covered by the new agreement.
• Improved health and safety language to strengthen protection for nurses and patients from workplace violence, and the spread of infectious diseases.
• Eight hours of rest for any RN after working a call shift before she can be called back to work to reduce nurse fatigue that can put nurses and patients at risk.
• Improved union and workplace rights for nurses, including a strengthened grievance procedure for disputes.

Both hospitals are affiliated with, Nashville-based, Healthcare Corporation of America (HCA), the largest for-profit medical corporation in the world. The California Nurses Association represents nearly 100,000 RNs throughout the state.