The new agreement brings improvements in staffing practices and other measures that will improve patient care at the hospital.

Registered nurses at MountainView Hospital in Las Vegas, Nev., voted in favor of ratifying a new three-year contract last week, winning measures to improve patient safety and nurse retention. Nurses represented by National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU), the nation's largest nurses union, say the newly ratified agreement will improve patient care and working conditions at their hospital.

"This new contract that includes a pilot program for meal and rest break nurses is a huge win for our patients and for us as nurses," said Elizabeth Rodriguez, RN in the MountainView neonatal intensive care unit. "We made ourselves heard when it comes to the future of our hospital, and the progress we made is written in the pages of this new contract."

Highlights of the contract include:

• Pilot program on break relief staffing: A new program that will improve staffing practices to ensure nurses can take their meal and rest breaks during their shifts.
• Wage increases: Substantial wage increases that will improve nurse recruitment and retention; up to 22% increases for some nurses over the term of the contract.
• Inclusive documentation: Staff can use preferred names and add personal pronouns to name badges.

"Nurses' top concern is always patient care," said Jenevie Aranas-Bowen, RN in the MountainView intermediate care unit. "With the new measures in this contract, we'll be able to take better care of our patients because nurses' working conditions should be improved with this new pilot program."

NNOC/NNU represents nearly 1,000 nurses at MountainView Hospital and, nationally, 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. In recent weeks, 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.

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

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.