Las Vegas nurses to hold informational picket for patient safety at MountainView Hospital

Nurses at HCA's MountainView Hospital in Las Vegas, Nev., will hold an informational picket on Aug. 27 to protest the administration's refusal to address RNs' deep concerns about patient care and safe staffing. Nurses are represented by National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU) in ongoing contract negotiations with HCA.

"We are fighting to improve our contract to ensure nurses have the resources and support they need to be able to provide the highest level of care to each and every patient, but HCA isn't interested in being held accountable to these standards," says Nicole Taylor, a registered nurse in the labor and delivery unit. "When nurses have more patients than has been proven to be safe, the patients suffer. Short staffing means care gets delayed, pain medications can't be given when the patient requests, lifesaving medications, blood transfusions, and other vital interventions are completed late because the nurse simply has too much to do. When nurses are spread too thin, critical hands-on patient assessments that save patients' lives are delayed. When nurses have too many patients, things can easily be missed. The results of this can be catastrophic. The nurses of MountainView are demanding better for their patients and their community."

Who: NNOC/NNU registered nurses at HCA MountainView Hospital
What: Informational picket for patient safety and a fair contract
When: Tuesday, Aug. 27, 6 to 8 p.m.
Where: 3100 N. Tenaya Way, Las Vegas, Nev.

"It is vital that HCA strengthens its efforts to recruit and retain experienced nurses at MountainView as they are hiring record numbers of new graduate nurses," said Lauren Helfman, a registered nurse in the post anesthesia care unit. "While nurses continue to make proposals that would allow MountainView to be a leader in the community that values nurses and patients and provides the best care, the hospital instead has made proposals that would eliminate seniority benefits. In a time when new nurses need mentors and patients' lives are on the line, HCA would rather leave new graduates with no one to answer their questions or to pass on valuable knowledge."

MountainView Hospital nurses have been in negotiations since April for a new contract with little to no movement on key issues. The RNs urge management to invest in nursing staff and agree to a contract that:

• Provides safe staffing in every unit on every shift to ensure high-quality patient care;
• Guarantees that nurses' patients are cared for while they take meal and rest breaks; and
• Empowers nurse recruitment and retention.

Nurses notified their employer on Aug. 14 that they would hold an informational picket. They previously rallied in June to speak out about patient care concerns. NNOC/NNU represents around 950 nurses at MountainView Hospital.

National Nurses Organizing Committee is an affiliate of National Nurses United, the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with nearly 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates also include California Nurses Association, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.