CHICAGO – Nurses at two local hospitals walked off the job Thursday as they pushed for better working conditions and raised concerns about patient care.
Chicago-area nurses strike
Nurses at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital on Chicago’s West Side began a 24-hour strike at 7 a.m.
The nurses unionized in June and are seeking their first contract. Nurses say they are overwhelmed by the number of patients they are assigned and believe current staffing levels make it difficult to safely assess and care for every patient.
A second strike is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at Olympia Fields Hospital. It comes after Prime Healthcare announced it will eliminate obstetrics services at three hospitals beginning Oct. 1:
- St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet
- Mercy Medical Center in Aurora
- Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago
More than 75 full-time nurses could be affected by the changes. Prime Healthcare said those employees will be offered positions at other hospitals within its system.
The health system said it made the decision because of years of financial challenges, changes in ownership and declining birth rates.
What they’re saying:
Prime Healthcare announced this week that it plans to strengthen obstetrics services at Saint Mary of Nazareth and Olympia Fields hospitals.
The director of the birthing center at Saint Mary said, “Concentrating maternity services at established centers like Saint Mary’s ensures the highest levels of quality and patient safety, addressing maternal health disparities.”
Prime Healthcare said consolidating services will allow it to invest $1 million in community maternal health grants while addressing low delivery volumes at the hospitals losing obstetrics services.
A nurse who spoke out about the changes said Prime Healthcare is failing to support nurses during a nationwide staffing shortage.
“You would think that in a ‘nursing shortage’ nationally, that we would be doing everything that we can to retain and support nursing,” the nurse said. “Unfortunately, Prime is doing the opposite of that.”
She also accused the health system of relying on a “churn and burn model,” saying new nurses are not given enough time for orientation, leading to burnout and higher turnover.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also voiced support for the nurses.
“I’m encouraging our nurses to remain strong and vigilant in their ongoing struggle to unionize,” Johnson said during a visit with the striking nurses. He also offered “a special prayer and shout out” to nurses he said were fired after organizing efforts.
In a statement, Prime Healthcare said, “Despite both parties having yet to begin exchanging proposals, the union has elected to proceed with a strike. This decision is particularly concerning given the extraordinary demands currently being placed on healthcare providers.”
The health system also said both hospitals will remain open and that the one-day strikes will not affect patient care.
The Source: The information in this story came from unionized nurses, Mayor Brandon Johnson, and Prime Healthcare.