Over wages and staffing levels...
In New York City, Nurses from two major hospitals have been on strike, due to low wages and staffing levels that have made many exhausted in several years into the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Upper East Side of Manhattan, at Mount Sinai Hospital, about 3,600 nurses and many almost 3,500 at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx started their strike on Monday.
“Only two years ago we were heroes,” Warren Urquhart said, a nurse in transplant and oncology units. In her opinion, “we was on the frontline of the city during pandemic when everything came to a stop. And to make them understand our value we need to stop so that they realize how much we mean to this hospital and to the patients.”
Due to COVID-19 pandemic United States hospitals has left heaped strain on medical workers, in which many have started to reconsider their future in the profession. A survey has conducted in 2022 by ShiftMed which showed that about two-thirds nurses said they would considering leaving their profession within two years.
According to the nurse’s union, the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), due to shortage of staffing at New York City hospitals made some workers caring for twice of patients as many patients as is normal.
Ashleigh Woodside stated that her 12-hour operating room shifts frequently become 14-hour ones, as low staffing levels push workers to take on longer shifts. According to Jed Basubas, at a time he had cared for eight to ten patients and nurse practitioner Juliet Escalon has said that she have even skipped going bathroom breaks sometimes to attend to patients.
Elected officials have weighed in, some offering words of encouragement.
New York City congressman, Jamaal Bowman said, “Nurses have been through hell and back for their patients. “I stand with NYSNA nurses as they fight for fair workplace conditions.”
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