Swedish Medical Center Nurses Join National Nurses United Union

Nurses at Swedish Medical Center Vote to Join Largest Nurses Union

In a significant development, registered nurses at HCA HealthONE Swedish, also known as Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado, have decided to join the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU), the largest nurses union in the United States. The election took place on July 1 and 2, 2026.

Swedish nurse Christina Michas expressed the sentiment of many, stating, “This is a huge victory for the nurses at our hospital and across the HCA system nationwide. We showed HCA that, even when they try to illegally interfere with our elections, nurses will hold them accountable and keep fighting until we win the union protections we need.”

This election followed a decision by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) which determined that HCA Healthcare, the nation’s largest hospital system, had unlawfully interfered with a previous election in 2024. The results of that election were subsequently invalidated.

Swedish employs nearly 800 nurses, but since the initial election, the facility has experienced high staff turnover. Currently, only about a third of the nurses from 2024 remain. This turnover is seen by many as a symptom of broader issues within the facility, which nurses aim to tackle through collective bargaining.

With the outcome of the recent election, nurses are now poised to begin negotiations on their inaugural union contract. They hope to address key issues that are contributing to nurse attrition and potentially jeopardizing patient care.

Despite the election victory, HCA has contested the NLRB’s decision to hold a second election, which was ultimately won by the nurses. NNOC/NNU has pledged its unwavering support to the nurses throughout this process.

Now under the representation of NNOC/NNU, the Swedish Medical Center's nearly 800 nurses join a larger network of over 10,000 HCA nurses across 19 facilities in seven states.

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.