Staffing Plan Vital in Effort to Recruit and Retain Experienced RNs

Registered nurses at Oak Hill Hospital in Brooksville will hold an informational picket and rally on Sept. 14 to urge that the hospital consistently comply with its own staffing plan and take additional steps to improve the recruitment and retention of experienced RNs.

“Appropriate staffing levels in every unit are a key component to providing patients with safe quality care and that's why we are urging the hospital to comply with its own staffing matrix," said RN Jack Hood, Intensive Care Unit. "It is also vital that nurses take their meal and rest breaks so we can remain alert and focused throughout our 12 hour shifts when caring for our patients. That's another reason it's so important for the hospital to comply with its staffing plan," said Hood who has been an RN for more than fifteen years.

What: Registered nurses hold informational picket and rally 
When: Monday, Sept. 14, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.  Rally 7:45 - 8 p.m.
Where: Oak Hill Hospital, 11375 Cortez Blvd State Road 50, Brooksville, Fla.

According to recent data provided by the hospital, Oak Hill is regularly out of compliance with its own staffing plan. For example, during one week in December 2014, the Neuro/Tele Unit was out of compliance 20% of the time, and the Orthopedic Unit was out of compliance 70% of the time. 

When the hospital is out of compliance with its staffing plan nurses are more likely to miss rest and meal breaks.  Research shows that these breaks are vital to prevent fatigue that contributes to medical errors and injury to patients and staff. According to the hospital's data, in a recent 3- month period (Nov. 23, 2014 - Feb. 28, 2015), RNs missed 4673 meal breaks. Oak Hill nurses regularly work 12-hour shifts and miss their rest and meal breaks because they don't want to leave their patients unattended, nurses say.

The Oak Hill nurses are also asking the hospital to address the dismal wage conditions for RNs in Florida, which contribute to high turnover rates and loss of experienced RNs. Oak Hill can play a leadership role, nurses say, by aligning the hospital's wages with the national average. Currently Florida RNs are paid $3.00 below the national average and although Florida is the third largest state it ranks 28th in terms of RN wages.
     
The 389 registered nurses at Oak Hill, affiliated with the National Nurses Organizing Committee, NNOC/FL, are in ongoing contract negotiations with management and their contract expired May 31, 2015. NNOC/FL is affiliated with National Nurses United, the largest organization of registered nurses in the United States with 186,000 members.