Nurse Strike at MCP/Hahnemann???

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Nov 11, 2003

Hahnemann, MCP Hospitals Close to Trauma Emergencies

by KYW's Karen Adams and Kim Glovas

http://www.kyw1060.com/news_story_detail.cfm?newsitemid=33225

Two area hospitals have begun turning patients away from their trauma centers -- one because of an anticipated nurses' strike.

Ambulances en route to MCP Hospital will have to take a detour until hundreds of registered nurses iron out a new contract with their employer.

The threatened strike could begin as early as 7am Tuesday.

MCP Hospital began diverting trauma patients to other hospitals on Thursday. Hahnemann followed suit on Sunday night, but for a different reason.

Hahemann University Hospital says it is having difficulty filling open positions for trauma surgeons because of increasing malpractice premiums and declining health care reimbursements.

So anyone shot, stabbed, or critically injured in a car wreck will now be diverted away from these facilities to one of seven other trauma centers in the Philadelphia region.

Those are Einstein Hospital, Frankford-Torresdale Hospital, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Jefferson Hospital, Temple Hospital, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children.

An emergency dispatch supervisor told CBS-3 by phone that barring any mass tragedy or major catastrophe, the diversions should not interrupt health care or the safety of any patients.

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Note: Tenet MCP nurses represented by OPEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, affiliated with the Office and Professional Employees International Union http://www.opeiuhealth.org/index.html

hoolahan, ASN, RN · Nov 11, 2003

Just watched it on the news, it's official for MCP strike. The nurses rejected the offer, and the hospital is flying in 50 nurses to replace the striking nurses. One nurse on the news said she was tired of having 12 pt's, did not say what shift/unit, but that does sound horrendous also said 24 psych pt to one RN!!

There will probably be a story on-line tomorrow.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2003

I have known a few travelers in those hospitals. I turned down an offer at Hahnemann.

Hahnemann refused travelers for a while, then contracted alot of tele traveler nurses - overstaffed the tele units - and then proceeded to float the tele travelers all over the blooming hospital. They rarily got to work their "home" units and floated for weeks on end to some very inappropriate places. They were not happy campers.

MCP has long had a poor rep in the area.

You reap what you sow.....

PlanetCaroline · Nov 11, 2003

Thanks for the info.

I am a nursing student at Hahnemann (now Drexel University) and will try to talk to any picketers about the situation this week. After all, my nursing school is attached to Hahnemann Hospital. Talk about being on the front lines of a major nursing-related news story! I'll post any details that are fit to print later on.

The strike has certainly brought the problems plagued by Hahnemann/MCP and Tenet back on the front page in Philadelphia.

Caroline

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Nov 11, 2003

WPVI/ABC News Coverage:

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/news/11112003_nw_traumacenters.html

TraumaNurse · Nov 11, 2003

The working conditions in this hospital are well known to be terrible...I hear they have some of the worst pt ratios in the area. When I moved to this area and was looking for a good trauma cneter to work in, the only advice I had that was consistant from many nurses I spoke with was, "Stay away from Hahnemann!" I took their advice and am glad I did.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2003

As for MCP.....

I have known plenty of highly qualified nurses that have submitted aps/resumes, as well as travelers aps to MCP. The hospital carries on like it can't find staff. But you can call HR over and over again and you get the runaround.

And in Philadelphia, why bother with the runaround?? There are more than enough jobs to be had, without all the trouble.

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2003

There is no strike at Hahnemann. They do not have enough trauma surgeons to keep their Level I Trauma status going. Same thing happened at Abington last year. This is due to the high cost of malpratice insurance in PA.

I ran away from MCP after Tenet took over. Tenet screwed us royally and the union said their hands were tied.

(Hi Caroline! )

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2003

also said 24 psych pt to one RN!!

They don't have a psych unit at MCP. Is EPPI involved too? :confused:

hoolahan, ASN, RN · Nov 11, 2003

Originally posted by dawngloves
They don't have a psych unit at MCP. Is EPPI involved too?

Yes the strike is at MCP, not Hahnemann. I don't know what EPPI is, but I watched the 11pm news last night and a nurse was being interviewed who said that was the ratio of psych nurses to 24 patients. I have no way of knowing if that hospital has a psych unit or not, just regurging what I heard. I am confused too.

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2003

EPPI is the psych hospital right next door. (Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Intitute) I think it is state run , so wouldn't it be a different union? If I remember, the nurse's union at MCP was a service workers union.