PORTLAND, Ore. – Nurses at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center voted to approve a new, two-year contract with the hospital that will increase the time nurses spend with patients and decrease time spent on paperwork.
The nurses, represented by the Oregon Nurses Association, voted to approve the agreement on Jan. 5. Local nurses have been working collaboratively with administrators from Providence St. Vincent Medical Center since September 2015 to agree on a contract that benefits nurses and patients.
Highlights of the new agreement include:
Limits on moving nurses to different patient or unit assignments during shifts
New flexible scheduling options
Annual wage increases based on industry standards
Compensation adjustments that level the playing field for on-call nurses
“Reducing the number of patient assignments we have during a shift gives us more time to focus on our patients and their families instead of paperwork,“ said Ann Murdock, BSN, RN, CCRN, a critical care float nurse and ONA bargaining unit officer at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. "Our patients are always our top priority, even in negotiations.”
The previous contract between nurses and Providence St. Vincent Medical Center expired on December 31, 2015. The new contract term is retroactive to January 1, 2016 and ends on December 31, 2017.
The Oregon Nurses Association represents more than 1,250 nurses at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center and more than 13,500 nurses statewide.
ONA was founded in 1904 as the professional association for nurses in Oregon. It is a nonprofit association and a labor union representing registered nurses. ONA’s mission is to advocate for nursing and quality health care. Additional information is available atwww.OregonRN.org
