Nursing is a vital profession, but one that comes with many challenges. Especially in difficult economic times, nurses can find themselves faced off against hospitals as cuts are made to employees' compensation. One such incident occurred this summer at the Tenet Healthcare Corporation's hospitals. However, the good news for nurses today is that increased national organization is giving nurses a stronger voice with which to call out such behavior.
The issue revolved around Tenet attempting to restrict registered nurses' (RNs) access to sick leave. Before Tenet made this change, employees could earn leave for up to 30 days, deposited into and "Extended Illness Bank." They could tap into this bank if they were ill for over a week. Tenet denied current caregivers the ability to accrue new hours in these banks, and they eliminated the bank for new hires. This naturally met with resistance, especially as the country prepares to face the threatening H1N1 flu.
Tenet employees argued that they should be able and even encouraged to maintain their health, to eliminate the transmission of infections to patients. This issue has been spotlighted recently as the potentially pandemic H1N1 swine flu spreads and over 55 healthcare workers have become infected. In response to reduced sick leave, Tenet healthcare workers belonging to the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) protested at nine hospitals in Florida and California, distributing leaflets and calling on Tenet management to reverse its decision.
?Every day, we are on the frontlines for responding to health threats like the H1N1 virus," said RN Sherri Stoddard, a California member of the CNA/NNOC. "It?s basic common sense that nurses and other caregivers should not go to work if we?re sick ourselves. But these cuts will make it harder for us to take care of ourselves. It?s not too late for Tenet to rethink and redo this by restoring our extended sick leave."
?It was shocking that Tenet didn?t even consult with us before making this decision. Every day we work together as a team to provide high-quality care to every patient we admit. But with a decision like this?one that hurts how we work as a team of caregivers?we got no input,? added Besty Marville, a SEIU Healthcare Florida member and RN in the Trauma/ICU unit at St. Mary?s Medical Center in West Palm Beach.