Nurses Strike In New York

Nurses from two private hospitals in New York rallied together to protest staffing and working conditions in January that had significantly declined because of Covid-19.

The protests addressed unsafe staffing ratios that had interfered with their ability to take care of patients. 

Their goal was to create better working conditions for nurses that would improve the job for current and future nurses by creating an environment that better protects nurses from burn out. 

The two hospitals involved in the strike have agreed to compensate their nurses and compromise on issues. 

According to “New York Nurses Strike End After Tentative Deal Reached With Hospitals” by Christ Boyette and Artemis Moshtaghian, the Montefior agreed to a 19% pay increase and 170 new staffing positions, health coverage for retired nurses, and more nurses in the ER unit. 

The deal will improve patient care and reverse some of the damaging effects Covid had on hospitals. 

In “New York City Nurses Strike Ends” by Politico Writer Maya Kaufman, Nancy Hagans, president of the New York State Nurses Association, said, “Today, we can return to work with our heads held high, knowing that our victory means safer care for our patients and more sustainable jobs for our profession.”

Hagans reveals the significance of the protests that better conditions for nurses equals better conditions for patients. 

The protests were a crucial part of enabling nurses to provide better care for their patients as well as prioritize their needs. 

In 2020, hospitals were full and many nurses experienced burn out because they had too many patients. 

Because of this shortage patients were not taken care of and nurses felt overwhelmed with patients. 

Ultimately, these compromises will improve patient care and the sustainability of nursing as a profession.