HCA nurses win new contracts

RNs across six states ratify new agreements

By Lucy Diavolo

National Nurse magazine - Oct | Nov | Dec 2024 Issue

Registered nurses at 17 hospitals managed by HCA voted in favor of ratifying new three-year contracts in October, concluding a massive 2024 bargaining effort by nurses represented by National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC), an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU). Nurses say their newly ratified agreements include measures to improve patient care, patient safety, nurse retention, and working conditions at their hospitals.

Nationally, NNOC/NNU represents more than 8,500 nurses who were at the bargaining table with HCA management throughout 2024, as contracts expired at 17 HCA facilities in six states. Nurses at HCA facilities had voted in favor of authorizing strikes if necessary to resolve negotiations, but an agreement was reached before any strikes were called by nurses on bargaining teams. Nurses held rallies and informational pickets in the months before the contract ratification.

"Our contract fight was all about making progress for us as nurses and for our patients here in El Paso," said Julianita Garcia, RN in the post-anesthesia care unit at Del Sol Medical Center in El Paso, Texas. "Our new contracts are all about making that progress."

“These contracts are how we’re leading the way to make our hospitals safer and better,” said Cheryl Rodarmel, RN in the rehabilitation unit at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Mo. “Nurses made sure our voices were heard when it comes to the future of our hospitals.” 

“We are excited to have this new contract and ensure that our hospital is on a path to taking the best possible care of our patients and community,” said Huns Brown, RN in the pulmonary progressive care unit at Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C. “The devastation Hurricane Helene brought to our region underscores how Mission being the best possible version of itself is more important than ever.” 

The HCA facilities include Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Mo.; Menorah Medical Center in Overland Park, Kan.; MountainView Hospital in Las Vegas, Nev.; Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C.; three hospitals in Texas: Corpus Christi Medical Center in Corpus Christi, Las Palmas Medical Center and Del Sol Medical Center in El Paso; and 10 hospitals in Florida: Oak Hill Hospital in Brooksville, Largo Hospital in Largo, Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte, Trinity Hospital in Trinity, Blake Hospital in Bradenton, Sarasota Doctors Hospital in Sarasota, St. Petersburg Hospital in St. Petersburg, Northside Hospital in St. Petersburg, Osceola Hospital in Kissimmee, and Lake Monroe Hospital in Sanford.

"Hurricane Milton underscored how important it is to have strong, safe hospitals in our communities," said Collette Salomon-Belfond, RN in the medical-surgical unit at HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte. "These new contracts are going to make working conditions at our hospitals better, and that means better conditions for our patients."

Highlights of the contract include a pilot program on break relief staffing that will improve staffing practices to ensure nurses can take their meal and rest breaks during their shifts; new measures to ensure nurses are "floated" (temporarily reassigned) to units similar to their normal specialty; new contract language to ensure nurses have a say in the implementation of new technology like artificial intelligence to ensure it enhances, not diminishes, patient care; inclusive documentation so staff can use preferred names and add personal pronouns to name badges; and substantial wage increases to improve nurse recruitment and retention.

“We’re so excited to get this contract settled with some major wins for nurses and our patients,” said Sylvia Higgins, RN in the neonatal intensive care unit at Corpus Christi Medical Center in Texas. “Ensuring nurses get our meal and rest breaks, and placing limitations to cancellations to ensure that staffing guidelines are observed — these are measures that improve our working conditions and patient care.”

NNOC/NNU represents nearly 10,000 nurses at HCA facilities nationwide, including some who were not bargaining new contracts this year. HCA is one of the largest and wealthiest health care systems in the United States. 

Lucy Diavolo is a communications specialist at National Nurses United.