Chronic understaffing at MedStar Franklin leads to poor patient outcomes

Chronic Understaffing at MedStar Franklin Square Linked to Poor Patient Outcomes

Recent findings from a study conducted by National Nurses United (NNU), the largest nurses union in the United States, indicate that persistent understaffing of registered nurses at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, is compromising patient care and contributing to negative outcomes, as per the metrics of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

"This research paper puts in black and white what many nurses know to be true: We are doing all we can to care for our patients, but MedStar Health is failing all of us by refusing to properly invest the resources we need to do our jobs," said Dana Dawkins, RN. "It is time that MedStar step up and provide nurses the staffing we need to provide the highest quality of care to our patients. That is why we are forming a union, so that we will have a seat at the table when decisions are made about patient care."

The report highlights several critical issues at MedStar Franklin Square, such as:

• Only 29 percent of patients receive appropriate care for sepsis and septic shock, significantly lower than the national average of 65 percent.
• The incidence of serious complications during hospital stays or after surgical procedures is 41 percent above the national average.
• The rate of bedsores per discharge exceeds three times the national average.

Beyond the CMS data, the study reveals that the lack of adequate staffing is leading to a heightened rate of workplace injuries among nurses. In 2025, the rate of work-related injuries for registered nurses at MedStar Franklin Square was 30 percent higher than the national average.

Nurses have reported frequent occurrences of violence and widespread sexual harassment within the healthcare environment. They attribute this to management's failure to implement effective safety protocols and preventive measures. The report states, "workplace violence is significantly more likely to happen when units are short-staffed and when nurses have heavy workloads."

"Understaffing creates serious risks for nurses and patients. We see nurses injured when they must physically move patients on their own," said Marcy Aulenbacher, RN. "This also increases the likelihood of patient falls. Lack of staffing also leads to an increase in workplace violence as patients who are suffering with physical, emotional, and behavioral crises must wait longer for care. This is not fair to our patients and we demand that MedStar do better."

In response to these ongoing challenges, nurses at MedStar Franklin Square are advocating for a union to promote safer staffing levels across the hospital, establish specific plans to prevent workplace violence, ensure the proper functioning of equipment, and hold management accountable for the hospital's shortcomings.

However, nurses report facing an aggressive anti-union campaign from management, including tactics such as questioning nurses about union support, monitoring their activities, and deploying security personnel to disrupt conversations among nurses.

Based on previous contracts filed with the Dept. of Labor, NNU estimates that MedStar Health spends between $28,000 and $40,000 weekly on anti-union efforts, funds that nurses argue should be redirected towards enhancing patient safety and providing essential resources.

The not-for-profit hospital benefits from millions in tax breaks and federal and state grants. In 2025, MedStar Health expended $78.9 million in federal funding awards. According to financial records, MedStar Health generated over $1 billion in 2024 and 2025. Furthermore, CEO Ken Samet received nearly $45 million in compensation from 2021 through 2025.

The union election is slated for October 14 and 15, involving approximately 900 nurses at MedStar Franklin Square. NNOC/NNU already represents over 2,200 registered nurses at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C.

National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with more than 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates include California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.