Nurses at Albany Medical Center gathered outside the hospital on Tuesday to raise concerns about the unsafe staffing levels that they believe are jeopardizing patient safety. The nurses have filed numerous complaints about understaffing with the state Department of Health, according to the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA).
Despite the nurses’ complaints about staffing shortages in all units, the hospital’s management has allegedly failed to adhere to state staffing laws and maintain its safety standards, the NYSNA stated. In December, nurses filed two complaints citing insufficient staffing in critical care units as a commonplace occurrence at the hospital.
Nurses at Albany Medical Center believe that the current staffing levels contribute to nurse burnout and high turnover rates. NICU nurse Jennifer Kiehle mentioned that when nurses raise concerns about unsafe staffing, they are reprimanded by management for protesting assignments. The union has informed that the state’s Department of Health is investigating the matter.
The nurses’ demonstration coincides with ongoing contract negotiations with the hospital, as the current union contract is set to expire at the end of July. When contacted by Spectrum News 1 for comment, Albany Medical Center’s spokesperson stated that they regularly undergo planned and unplanned visits from the Department of Health. As of now, the findings from the most recent visit are yet to be disclosed.