Management has made its last and final offer and there are no negotiations nor any federal mediation scheduled for today. The 400 registered nurses, registered dietitians, pharmacists and social workers at Howard believe the Hospital is threatening patient care by investing heavily in technology and facilities rather than dealing effectively with chronic understaffing and forced overtime. Management also has not addressed the economic issues that are necessary to retain skilled, experienced health professionals at the bedside. Currently, there are numerous vacancies for health care professionals. As a result, nurses are being forced to care for too many patients.
Pharmacists are unable to efficiently disburse medications on a timely basis.
Dietitians cannot address all of the nutritional needs that help patients heal properly and social workers can't adequately prepare patients to go home on time. Forced overtime has become a routine occurrence. Currently, overworked RNs and pharmacists are being forced to cover situations that are anticipated regularly such as sick calls and scheduled leave. When exhausted nurses and pharmacists are forced to stay on for extra shifts the potential for medication errors increases and there is a deterioration in the close monitoring necessary to pick up quickly on critical signs, symptoms and other changes in a sick patient's condition. We know patient care is suffering here.