Nurses at Tucson Hospitals to Picket for Staffing and Patient Care

Registered Nurses Demand Action on Staffing and Patient Care Issues

Registered nurses from Carondelet St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s hospitals are set to hold informational pickets on Thursday, September 24. The nurses aim to urge Carondelet management to address pressing concerns about staffing levels, patient care quality, and issues surrounding nurse recruitment and retention. The nursing staff has voiced significant concerns about the deteriorating conditions affecting patient care and the shortage of experienced personnel necessary to ensure patient safety.

Event Details

Who: Nurses from St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s hospitals

What: Informational pickets advocating for safe staffing and a robust contract

Where and When:

St. Mary’s Hospital, 1601 W. St. Mary’s Rd, Tucson: 8 to 10 a.m.

St. Joseph’s Hospital, 350 N. Wilmot Rd., Tucson: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Jessica Guzman, a registered nurse at St. Mary’s, highlighted the ongoing negotiations and the lack of progress on crucial issues, stating, “We’ve been in contract negotiations for months while management won’t move on these issues that directly affect patient care.” Guzman emphasized the need for proposals aimed at improving patient handling, staffing, and working conditions to attract and retain nursing professionals. She further stressed the necessity of adequate staffing to allow nurses to take their meal and rest breaks during 12-hour shifts.

The National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU), the largest and fastest-growing nurses union in the United States, represents nearly 600 nurses at Carondelet St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s hospitals in Tucson. The union began contract negotiations in April.

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

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