Brooklyn, Staten Island Highlights

BrooKlyn hosPiTAl

Staffing remains something of a challenge at tBHC, especially in maternal child health . We scheduled a unit Based Council meeting in Critical Care to address issues there related to staffing, and new RN orientation . Focusing on the Critical Care units at Brooklyn Hospital is critical, given the staffing captain reports from the members . According to NYSNA’s data, Brooklyn’s ICu is one of the worst staffed critical care units in NYC . orientation of new RNs in critical care units is also a major problem, as the current program is woefully inadequate . Critical care RNs recently signed a petition demanding a meeting with management to discuss orientation for new RNs in Critical Care units .

rumc

the contractual staffing ratios are being implemented at RuMC, though there is more work to be done . the 1:6 ratio for Med-Surg units will be effective January 1, 2022 for SlB 5 and SlB 4, with the ratio for SlB 6 effective the end of February . Another important ratio implementation project will be in the emergency Room, effective the end of April . We have several active class action grievances related to staffing, floating, non-nursing functions, and breaks . Beyond these disputes, the number one problem with the ratio implementation project is that there are simply not enough nurses working at RuMC . they must do more to hire and retain the nurses to meet our new contractual standards .

mAimoniDes

the staffing grids for 2020 and 2021 have been negotiated, updated, and signed off on by NYSNA and management . this is especially important in terms of staffing law implementation, as the MMC grid is one of the few with wall-to-wall ratios for RNs and quality staffing guidelines for service, tech, and clerical titles . MMC started the hiring process to meet the new ratio levels as well as replace positions due to resignation and retirement . to date, there are 60 newly hired RNs and 89 positions posted, but MMC needs to do more to keep up with the attrition of nurses . the newly elected committee will continue to focus on tracking staffing and enforcing the new ratios .

KJmc nurses BATTle For geriATric Psych uniT

the Kingsbrook Jewish Adult psychiatric unit is critically important as a geriatric psychiatric facility, drawing patients from nursing homes in Queens and the Rockaways . the potential closing comes in the aftermath of a shocking number of nursing home patient deaths in New York City during the ongoing pandemic . Black and brown communities would be adversely affected by the closing, as well . Fully 65% of psychiatric discharges at Kingsbrook Jewish in 2018-2019 were among patients of color . the closing exacerbates already sharp disparities in care prior to and during the CoVID-19 pandemic for Black and brown New Yorkers . overall, inpatient mental health services have precipitously declined in metro NYC during the pandemic, with closures at New York presbyterian-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, to NYp’s Allen Hospital on Washington Heights, and at Syosset Hospital/Northwell Health on long Island . the burden of closings often falls on safety net hospitals . But when safety nets like Kingsbrook Jewish close inpatient units, patients most in need are too often stranded without care . the Geriatric psych unit has been there for over 20 years . this unit was a core part of the one Brooklyn Health project, unlike the other units that were recently reduced as part of the plan . one Brooklyn clearly promised this unit to the community and they’re going back on their word . the solution to this problem is simple . one Brooklyn claims they cannot keep the unit open due to five psychiatrists recently leaving . NYSNA has called on one Brooklyn, the State of New York, the City of New York, and the Brooklyn delegation of elected officials to join NYSNA in an emergency search and hiring program to replace these 5 psychiatrists . At this time, the unit is not closed and not decertified, but there are no patients and the nurses are reassigned . the fight to preserve geriatric psych care will continue in 2022 .

isiuh rnsi

neW conTrAcT reAcheD AT sTATen islAnD universiTy hosPiTAl in 2021

A new contract was reached at SIuH, establishing trends across the city’s private sector facilities and the sister Northwell facilities . Highlights included: l 3% per year in across-the-board wages, plus retro l Continuation of the retiree health program, which provides free health insurance for the nurse and her dependents from 60-65, and covered costs at Northwell facilities while on

Medicare . l Major staffing improvements and an updated grid l NYSNA plan A Health and the NYSNA pension l pandemic preparedness language- the 1st CoVID language codified into a CBA l other major improvements