RNs Look Forward to Strengthened Patient Advocacy Voice as They Join 1500 CNA-affiliated Nurses in St. Joseph Health System

Registered nurses at Redwood Memorial Hospital in Fortuna, Ca. voted yesterday to join the California Nurses Association, part of National Nurses United, the nation's largest organization of registered nurses. 

Redwood Memorial is part of the St. Joseph Health system, a large Catholic health system with hospitals in California and Texas. CNA already represents 1500 RNs at five SJH hospitals, including nearby St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, Petaluma Valley Hospital in Petaluma, Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, and St. Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley. RNs at several other St. Joseph hospitals are also seeking to join CNA.

"Nurses have chosen the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United because we know the difference it will make for our patients who expect us to be an advocate for them when they come to the hospital," said Linda Gelphman, an RN in the Short Stay unit. "We can do that now that we are joining over 1500 RNs in the St. Josephs system and over 186,000 nurses nationwide in National Nurses United. That's real power for us and our patients." 

"CNA RNs from St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka are excited to welcome Redwood into our union family," said Kerry Sweeney, an RN in the Child Birth Center at Eureka. "We look forward to working with you to advocate for quality patient care." 

For Redwood Memorial RNs, key concerns are strengthening the voice of bedside RNs to advocate for improved patient care delivery and better standards for RNs.

Those include safe RN staffing ratios, set in a collective bargaining contract, dedicated RNs to assure nurses can safely take meal and rest breaks, lift and transport teams to reduce the risk of nurse injuries and patient falls and accidents, and greater ability to object to unsafe assignments.