Hundreds of Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital nurses sign new contract

Nearly 250 Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital nurses ratified a three-year contract with Trinity Health Monday evening, as staffing pressures in light of the closure of nearby Delaware County Memorial Hospital were a key element.

The new contract includes 10.5% pay increases for nurses over the life of the contract, with pension and health care benefits retained. Union staff have noted an improvement in vacation and vacation accrual for new hires.

“Even today, several years after COVID, the system that is supposed to support healthcare professionals at the bedside, and therefore patients, is in crisis,” said PASNAP President Maureen May, RN. “Following the worst pandemic of our lifetimes, hospital staff numbers have declined across the country due to burnout. This contract, which focuses on staffing and measures to improve retention, recognizes the contribution of frontline caregivers and, by prioritizing their numbers and respect for what they bring to the bedside, also gives prioritizing patient care.

The Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital Nurses Association is an affiliate of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals.

The nurses themselves voted on the contract Monday and approved it 95 percent as of 7:45 p.m.

Marlow Levy, president of Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, commented after the ratification.

“Mercy Fitzgerald administration and nurse representation have worked in partnership to reach a new contract that represents our shared goals,” he said. “We appreciate the dedication of our nurses to providing the competent, compassionate care our patients need and deserve, and we are pleased that our collaborative relationship will continue over the next three years.” This demonstrates that Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, part of Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, is a great place to work.

Representatives from the Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital Nurses Association explained what the new contract means for them and their members.

“Safe staffing is essential to providing safe and effective patient care. They go hand in hand,” said Sue Brusco, RN, co-chair. “When we talk about human lives, personnel must always be a priority. »

“And in this contract, that’s the case. Hospital leaders listened to us as we talked about what we so desperately need at the bedside to properly care for our patients and retain our staff. And this contract keeps its promises. »

Brusco is also a nurse in the hospital’s emergency department, which officials say has been hit hard since the closure of Delaware County Memorial, run by Crozer Health, which was 2.5 miles away on Lansdowne Avenue. Darby Hospital has seen 20 to 40 more people per day in the emergency room since DCMH closed.

Prior to this contract, the hospital relied solely on its nurses working extra shifts and using registered nurses from Trinity’s First Choice Staffing agency to keep the hospital staffed, union staff said.

Additionally, the contract allows a union-led staffing committee to request meetings with hospital administration, outside of their annual commitment, to discuss critical staffing concerns and work on solutions to improve patient care and retain experienced staff.

The new contract also requires staffing grids to be posted on each floor. If these grids are not followed, the hospital may be held responsible for the following procedures for obtaining staff.

Additionally, the contract stipulates that the hospital will fill exceptional positions with full-time employees.

“I was born in this hospital,” said Terry Noga, RN, co-president of the Fitzgerald Mercy Nurses Association. “I had all four of my children in this hospital. And I’ve worked here since 1985, my entire career. I am a caregiver here, and I have been a patient here, and I am very proud of what we and the leadership of the hospital, together, have been able to accomplish for my colleagues and our community through this contract.

Noga is also a nurse in the intensive care unit at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital.

Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital is a 178-bed teaching hospital that serves more than 186,000 patients in Delaware County and Southwest Philadelphia each year. Along with St. Mary Medical Center in Bucks County, Mercy Fitzgerald is owned by Livonia, Michigan-based Trinity Health, which has 101 hospitals in 27 states.

Originally published: November 19, 2024 at 4:18 p.m. EST