Nurses at SLUH rally for safe staffing and address workplace violence

Nurses Demand Action on Safety and Staffing at SSM Health

Registered nurses at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital (SLUH) in St. Louis, Missouri, are set to organize a rally on Tuesday, December 23, addressing persistent staffing shortages and safety issues that have not been resolved by SSM Health management. This rally is backed by the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU).

The call for priority change comes in the wake of a distressing incident in the hospital's emergency department last month. Nurses are urging SLUH to prioritize safety for both patients and staff, citing that weapons frequently enter patient care areas, posing a threat to everyone involved. The registered nurses emphasize the need for a work environment that is free from violence to facilitate proper care delivery.

Rally Details

Who: Nurses from Saint Louis University Hospital

What: Rally for safe staffing and workplace safety

When: Tuesday, Dec. 23, 7-7:30 p.m.

Where: Saint Louis University Hospital, 1201 South Grand Blvd, St. Louis, Mo.

Kellie Allen, RN, and NNOC chief nurse representative at SLUH, commented, “Many units at SLUH are dangerously understaffed. This compromises our ability to provide quality care and puts patient safety at risk.” Allen highlighted that their warnings regarding the dangers of short staffing have been ignored for years, leading to situations where ensuring patient safety often endangers the nurses.

Allen further stated, “The only way to keep patients nurses safe is to staff our hospitals and clinics safely. We will continue to stand up and speak out until our employer lives up to the values they market to our community and put the health and safety of patients and workers before their bottom line.”

Despite ongoing concerns about inadequate staffing and security protocols, hospital management has introduced new staffing guidelines that heighten nurse-to-patient ratios. This move comes as management appears more focused on profitability than addressing the safety and care issues raised by nurses.

Representing over 700 nurses at SLUH, NNOC had successfully ratified a new contract in July 2024, which included provisions related to workplace violence.

National Nurses United stands as the largest and most rapidly expanding union and professional association for registered nurses in the U.S., boasting over 225,000 members nationwide. Its 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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