Tufts nurses vote 70% to authorize strike

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Specializes in Med surg, LTC, Administration.

Just heard on channel five, Boston. Nurses at one of Boston's biggest hospital, have just voted to authorized a one day strike. Over 70% of the nurses who voted have decided that Tufts Medical Center has a patient care problem and they are willing to go on strike to fix it. 1100 nurses could, walk away from bedside. Their union only has one issue, to force the hospital to increase nurse patient ratio and to create mandatory staffing. Something the CEO has vowed will not happen. Nurses say patient care has suffered because there are too few of them to help. One nurse said, " I am done explaining to a patient why, when the call bell rings nobody comes" and "why they are lying in wet sheets". Tufts is calling this gross hyperbole. Tufts has been reducing cost hiring less expensive techs instead of more nurses for certain bedside jobs. Tufts insist they are ranked 6, in hospital safety in the country. Nurses say hospital officials are exaggerating. Nurses want the right staff at the right time to care for what patients need. Nurses say, this is their fight! Tufts is now searching for nurses all over the country to staff the hospital for the one day strike.

Would any of you cross this picket line? Do you think the nurses are doing the right thing and why?

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

Not familiar with that hospital so I can't comment directly.

But I would not cross that picket line or any other, just as a matter of principle.

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Specializes in Med surg, LTC, Administration.
Not familiar with that hospital so I can't comment directly.

But I would not cross that picket line or any other, just as a matter of principle.

Altra,

Tufts Medical Center is a large teaching hospital, affiliated with Tufts university here in Boston. They have a great medical, dental and veterinary school. I am so glad to hear you would not cross that line and instead stand with your sisters. They are striking for the absolute right reasons and need support from the nursing community. Kudos to you! I am proud of these nurses who overwhelmingly voted to strike. In this economy, day and age, it is a light of hope to someone my age! I am so proud and hope others take notice of what is going on and why. Peace!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Transplant, Education.

I'm familiar with the hospital. Spent some time there during nursing school. I'd stand with them--they're doing the right thing.

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Specializes in Med Surg/Tele/ER.

No I would not cross a picket line

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

When you have that many nurses willing to walk out, even for just a day, something is absolutely wrong.

I won't cross anyone's picket line.

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I would not cross the picket line of striking colleagues. Nurses are little more than an expense on a balance sheet to administration. Any lawful method to expose the good ole boy network, their million dollar bonuses as well as unsafe staffing and disrespectful treatment of staff gets my support.

We could use some of that spunk down here in the armpit of healthcare aka Florida.

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Specializes in ED, CTSurg, IVTeam, Oncology.

no, i would not cross a picket and here's why:

knowing nothing at all about tuft's nor the union involved, nor anything even about boston, my sentiment is thus based solely on what i understand about nurses and the economy.

the economy is stinking bad; any nurse willing to walk off a job must have some damned good reason.

nurses don't leave patients in a lurch; it just goes contrary to their nature both as professionals and as people. any nurse willing to walk away from a patient in need must have some damned good reason.

given that tuft's (according to the op) has 1100 nurses, and the vote was over 70%, that means that 770 plus rn's are willing to walk out.

there must be a damned good reason. :mad:

support your nursing unions! :up:

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Specializes in neurology, cardiology, ED.

Would not cross the picket line, and wish my hospital union was willing as these nurses seem to be to take a stand for what matters!

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

Considering that the only request of the union (if this story is accurate) is to improve nurse ratios, I am impressed. Whenever we were striking it was for a pay raise or some other want. Supposedly once we were striking for having enough PPE for ourselves when we took care of patients with H1N1 (we did run out, but it seems like it could have been avoided as a strike issue).

I applaud these nurses for striking for improving patient health.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Moved to nursing activism.

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Specializes in Med surg, LTC, Administration.
no, i would not cross a picket and here's why:

knowing nothing at all about tuft's nor the union involved, nor anything even about boston, my sentiment is thus based solely on what i understand about nurses and the economy.

the economy is stinking bad; any nurse willing to walk off a job must have some damned good reason.

nurses don't leave patients in a lurch; it just goes contrary to their nature both as professionals and as people. any nurse willing to walk away from a patient in need must have some damned good reason.

given that tuft's (according to the op) has 1100 nurses, and the vote was over 70%, that means that 770 plus rn's are willing to walk out.

there must be a damned good reason. :mad:

support your nursing unions! :up:

now that's what i'm talk in about!!:yeah::yeah::yeah:

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