Community leaders to hear testimony from nurses, patients on hospital conditions
QUINCY, MA – On Tuesday, April 9th, a board of community, faith, and health care leaders will gather to investigate alleged safety concerns from hospital staff and patients at the Quincy Medical Center.
Since 2012, Registered Nurses have expressed concerns to Cerberus/Steward-Quincy Medical Center (QMC) management in regards to declining healthcare staff to patient levels, which they consider to be unsafe. The situation has intensified since February 17, when QMC decided to shut down a 40-bed nursing unit and lay off 30 nurses. On March 19, members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, the union that represents QMC Registered Nurses, voted in favor of a one-day strike, which is set to begin at 6AM on April 11th.
“We are presenting urgent concerns out of a sense of duty to defend our patients and this institution. This is our hospital, and speaking out for the quality of patient care and defending the hospital from harm so that it can thrive for decades into the future are, in our view, one in the same,” says retired QMC RN Sandy Eaton.
Panelists will include medical professionals, directors of health care institutions, and Quincy community leaders.
WHAT: Community hearing on Quincy Medical Center
WHO: Registered nurses, patients, and Quincy residents
WHEN: Tuesday, April 9 at 9:00 AM
WHERE: Quincy Community United Methodist Church, 40 Beale St., Wollaston, MA 02170
This hearing is open to all.
For more information, please contact Gillian Mason at 617-524-8778.
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