RNs at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center to protest management’s plan to reassign acute care nurses to work in areas where they do not have training

Registered nurses at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, will hold an informational picket on Monday, April 22, to highlight their deep concerns about patient care if the administration moves forward with plans to reassign RNs to work in areas where they do not have training nor expertise, announced National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU).

Cincinnati VA administration notified 27 float pool nurses on April 2 that they would be reassigned to work in the VA nursing home, gastrointestinal lab, catheterization lab, or hemodialysis, with the majority assigned to work in the nursing home, which has expanded from 48 to 62 beds. These RNs currently work in a variety of inpatient units and have training and certifications in acute care. They do not have training in the areas of nursing where management wants to reassign them. 

“The safety of our patients may be in jeopardy due to this plan to move nurses without fully reviewing staffing methodology and RN competencies to ensure safe, therapeutic care for our veterans,” said Shana Rivera, RN at the Cincinnati VA. “Nurses have specialized training. Our veterans need RNs with specialized skills and competencies to care for each veteran population. Our veterans deserve to have safe care.”

• Who: RNs at Cincinnati VA Medical Center
• What: Informational picket for patient safety and to protest dangerous staffing plan
• When: Monday, April 22 at 11:30 a.m.
• Where: Cincinnati VA Medical Center, 3200 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH, near Cincinnati Zoo parking lot

“We nurses are very concerned about this decision to move float pool nurses because it will have a negative impact on veterans’ care and safety,” said Morgan Anderson, RN in the float pool. “We do not agree with leadership’s plan. I say this not only as an RN in the float pool, but also as a veteran.”

VA nurses also call on Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough to encourage Congress to pass the VA Employee Fairness Act, which would grant RNs full bargaining rights so they can improve care at the VA. Nurses say passing the VA Employee Fairness Act will enable NNU to bargain over staffing issues, which will result in better outcomes for veterans and nurses.

NNOC/NNU represents roughly 670 registered nurses at Cincinnati VA Medical Center.

National Nurses Organizing Committee is an affiliate of National Nurses United, the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with nearly 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates also include California Nurses Association, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.