MNA: Baystate Noble Hospital Nurses to Deliver Petition on May 29 Urging Management to Address Unsafe Staffing and Patient Care Conditions Signed by Nearly 100% of RNs

A petition signed by Noble Hospital nurses calls on Baystate executives to settle a fair contract with solutions aimed at fixing alarming safety and staff morale problems

WESTFIELD, Mass., May 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Registered nurses at Baystate Noble Hospital, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, will deliver a petition signed by nearly 100% of nurses on Wednesday, May 29 to Noble management seeking immediate action from Baystate Health on agreeing to a fair contract that addresses unsafe staffing conditions, alarming recruitment and retention challenges, and stagnant wages.

Noble Hospital RN Petition Delivery
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2024
Location: Will meet outside the hospital at 115 W Silver St, Westfield, MA and then go inside to deliver the petition to management. Media interview availability – contact Joe Markman with questions at 781-571-8175.

The community petition reads, in part, "We call upon Baystate Health to prioritize the well-being of nurses and the quality of patient care by negotiating a fair contract that addresses these critical issues. Failure to act will compromise patient safety and the integrity of our hospital."

Issues raised by the nurses include:

• Unsafe staffing levels are jeopardizing patient safety and exacerbating nurse burnout. Baystate must prioritize investments in Noble nursing staff to ensure quality patient care and reduce the physical and emotional strain on nurses.
• Noble's struggles with hiring and keeping nurses at the hospital long-term must be resolved. When nurses do not feel properly respected or valued, they look elsewhere, especially when the working environment is so hazardous and difficult.
• Stagnant wages undermine our vital role in patient care. We urge Baystate to agree to fair and competitive wages that reflect the dedication and expertise of our nurses.

Baystate Health made $35.9 million in profits during the fiscal year-to-date period ending December 31, 2023, according to the latest reporting by the Center for Health Information and Analysis. Noble Hospital individually was profitable as well during that period.

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Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 25,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association