Registered nurses at Research Medical Center and Research Psychiatric Center in Kansas City, Mo. and Menorah Medical Center in Overland Park, Kan. have reached a tentative agreement Friday night on a new collective bargaining contract with HCA, National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC), an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), announced today.

Nurses will hold votes on ratifying the settlement in membership meetings at Research Medical Center/Research Psychiatric Center and Menorah this week. The agreement covers 700 RNs at Research Medical Center /Research Psychiatric Center and 325 RNs at Menorah.

The tentative pact features stronger infectious disease preventive measures for nurses and patients, long a concern at the hospitals, as elsewhere in the country, and economic security improvements to help retain experienced RNs and recruit new nurses. Terms will be available to the press following the membership votes.

“In the face of yet another Covid-19 pandemic surge, we are extremely pleased to have achieved additional health and safety protections that have long been critical to ensure safer conditions at our hospital,” said Research RN and member of the RNs’ negotiating team, Leslie Rogers.

The settlement follows new contracts achieved in recent weeks for RNs at HCA hospitals in Florida, North Carolina, Texas, and a mid-term contract adjustment at California HCA hospitals.

NNOC/NNU represents 12,000 HCA RNs at 20 HCA hospitals from Florida to California. Overall, NNU represents 175,000 RNs nationwide.