Cape Cod Healthcare is refusing to agree to patient safety improvements as part of a fair contract that will also help recruit and retain the nurses necessary for safe patient care
HYANNIS and FALMOUTH, Mass. – Registered nurses represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association at Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital will hold informational pickets on May 19 and May 26 to call attention to Cape Cod Healthcare executives refusing to negotiate a new contract that creates safer patient care conditions and values the dedication of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Informational Picket Details
Attendees will don masks and maintain responsible social distances. Picket speakers will include nurses, elected official and community supporters.
Cape Cod Hospital, Wednesday, May 19
Outside Cape Cod Hospital from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Falmouth Hospital, Wednesday, May 26
Outside Falmouth Hospital from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
“Cape Cod Healthcare executives call us heroes in public and pass out candy as a thank you but are actually disrespecting the care nurses provide by not agreeing to basic patient safety improvements we are seeking as part of a fair contract,” said Michelle Brum, RN, and member of the MNA Bargaining Committee at Cape Cod Hospital. “We are calling attention to unsafe conditions inside our hospital that are impacting patients and nurses, and which must be addressed in a lasting way.”
“Falmouth Hospital nurses have put our own health and the safety of our families at risk during the pandemic to care for our patients. Cape Cod Healthcare executives are continuing to deny our contract proposals which would greatly improve safe staffing and patient care,” said Lauren Seitz, RN, and Co-Chair of the MNA Bargaining Committee at Falmouth Hospital. “Cape Cod Healthcare agreeing to a fair contract and thus providing us the support we need would mean we would be able to more safely care for our patients and our community.”
Key Negotiation Issues
• Charge Nurse without an assignment. This proposal by Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital nurses will contribute significantly to making patient care conditions safer at both hospital by ensuring charge nurses can coordinate the overall needs of patients, nurses, and the flow on each individual floor/unit. A charge nurse should also be available to assist less experienced nurses with more complex cases, while also picking up patient assignments when staff become overburdened.
• Value and support nurses. Cape Cod Healthcare must offer a fair wage increase that values the dedication of nurses throughout the pandemic and beyond. The hospitals are losing nurses and face challenges recruiting because of inadequate pay and poor working conditions. To retain the nurses CCH needs to provide safe care, it must reach a fair agreement.
Cape Cod and Falmouth Hospital Post Significant Profits
During fiscal year 2020, both Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital greatly exceeded the statewide hospital margin average of 3.1%. According to the state’s Center for Health Information and Analysis, Cape Cod Hospital made $27.6 million in profit (4.7% margin) and received $152 million in COVID funding. Falmouth Hospital made $10.6 million in profit (6.1% margin) and received $41.3M in COVID funding.
During the three quarters ending on December 31, 2020, the hospital did even better financially. Cape Cod Hospital made $18.3 million in profit at an 11.2% margin and Falmouth Hospital made $10.2 million in profit at a 19.7% margin, according to CHIA.
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Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.
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