Beaver, PA – Nurses at Heritage Valley Beaver ratified a new contract that is positive for both nurses and patients Monday night. The agreement was reached late Friday after hours of negotiations.
“We believe we’ve come away with a fair contract,” said Molly Romigh, RN . “We gained additional safety measures in some areas, which will benefit patients and nurses alike.”
The contract maintains staffing levels, and even improves nurse-to-patient ratios in some departments, including the Emergency Room.
“Those better ratios mean nurses can spend more time with patients delivering that quality care,” continued Romigh. “Getting them treated and on their way in a timely manner will also improve patient satisfaction.”
The contract also keeps nurses in their specialized areas, rather than shifting them to departments where they may lack experience. As part of the agreement, nurses agreed to a one-year wage freeze to keep the current wage structure intact.
“Nurses with experience will be rewarded for that experience,” said Jill Richner,RN from the OR. “That structure is so important to be able to recruit and retain the very best nurses.”
The nurses had voted to send a strike notice if an agreement could not be reached by the June 30th deadline. Approximately 500 registered nurses at Heritage Valley Beaver are members of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania.
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