SEIU Local 49 Members Stand for Safer Staffing Today in Salem
SEIU Local 49 Executive Board member and McKenzie-Willamette CNA2 Aaron Green, Local 49 member and Providence Milwaukie CNA Julia Schafer, and SEIU Local 49 President Meg Niemi in Salem
“Time and time again, I am told that our staffing problems are due to the impact of employee wages on the hospital’s payroll, yet Oregon nursing homes have starting wages of $22.00/hr — far above our starting wages — and those same nursing homes have staffing ratios and safety nets put in place to protect both their patients and their workers. I don’t have those protections working in a hospital. If a co-worker calls out, then I could end up responsible for an entire floor all to myself.”
—Aaron Green, CNA 2, McKenzie-Willamette
Safe Staffing was on the agenda today in Salem. SEIU Local 49 President Meg Niemi, Local 49 member and Providence Milwaukie CNA Julia Schafer and Executive Board member and McKenzie-Willamette CNA2 Aaron Green provided testimony to Oregon State Representatives on why we need staffing regulations in Oregon. Current staffing laws only protect staff who fall under the Nurse Practice Act, but staff in all positions, from cleaning to dietary to patient assistance, are impacted by high staff-to-patient ratios.
“The impact of unsafe staffing — not only amongst registered nurses but across all healthcare classifications — places a significant strain on our communities and on the overall viability of our healthcare workforce. Unsafe staffing poses an obvious threat to Oregon patients by creating extended waiting times for appointments and services and, in some cases, eliminating service options altogether. Unsafe staffing also places an enormous burden on the safety and well-being of healthcare workers that fuels a self-perpetuating cycle of burnout, staff turnover, and staffing shortages. There is evidence that unsafe staffing is a pressing equity issue as it can lead to disproportionately adverse outcomes for patients from marginalized communities as well as healthcare workers of color.”
—Meg Niemi, President, SEIU Local 49
At the heart of this is patient care. When healthcare workers are overwhelmed by workloads, it can seem impossible to provide the level of quality care that patients and communities deserve. More and more workers who joined healthcare in order to serve their communities are falling victim to burnout and leaving their fields. Those that stay have to take on more responsibility until positions are filled—if they are filled at all.
“When my department is understaffed, it’s overwhelming. You might be one of two CNAs to a floor or even be assigned a whole floor to yourself. My co-workers and I try to do our best but under those conditions we can’t provide true ‘care’ for patients — understaffing means we have to prioritize patient safety above all else. Providence Milwaukie Hospital is a smaller community hospital and many of our patients are older people more prone to fall. So, we prioritize preventing patient falls, but we’re more likely to make mistakes when we’re rushing around trying to take care of everybody.”
—Julia Schafer, CNA, Providence Milwaukie Hospital
We’re calling on lawmakers in Salem to act now in the interest of healthcare workers, patients, and our communities. House Bill 2697 would give workers across all departments a voice in staffing plans for hospitals and ensure that management is held accountable when they do not follow the law. Public testimony continues in Salem tomorrow, Tuesday, February 28.
Want to make sure legislators know how important safe staffing is for you, your loved ones, and our communities?
Click here to share your story—it’s the first step in making positive changes in staffing legislation and holding lawmakers and employers accountable. You can write about your experiences, share a video, or both. This is an important first step in letting lawmakers know how staffing impacts us, and YOUR VOICE MATTERS!
