Illinois

Large group of nurses hold banner "Safe Staffing Ratios Save Lives""

Legislation updates

Illinois Safe Patient Limits Act Fact Sheet

Illinois has no law limiting the number of patients a registered nurse can care for at one time. As a result, registered nurses are consistently required to care for more patients than is safe, compromising patient care and negatively impacting patient outcomes.

The Safe Patient Limits Act requires hospitals to annually develop safe staffing plans that meet the bill’s RN patient limits and provide for additional staffing based on individual patient care needs. Learn more by reading our fact sheet »

Nurse Licensure Compact Legislation — Opposition Fact Sheet

NNOC-Illinois/National Nurses United urges you to oppose H.B. 1338, H.B. 1652, H.B. 1706, H.B. 2614, S.B. 102, and any other Nurse Licensure Compact or Universal Recognition of Occupational Licenses (Compact) legislation introduced this session. Learn why by reading our fact sheet »

Press releases

Nurses on strike line holding signs "Prime RNs United for our Patients"

Nurses announce sympathy strikes, pickets on Sept. 15 at five Prime Healthcare hospitals in four states

RNs at two Prime Healthcare hospitals in Nevada and California and nurses and health care workers at a Prime facility in California gave notice that they will hold a sympathy strike for one day on September 15 in solidarity with striking nurses at Olympia Fields Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. Nurses at another Chicago hospital and at a hospital in Lewiston, Maine, will hold informational pickets in solidarity with Olympia Fields RNs on the same day.

California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee

September 3, 2026

Nurses at Olympa Fields in front of Red Alert Tour bus with signs "Prime RNs United for Our Patients"

Olympia Fields nurses announce strike for Sept. 15. In solidarity, RNs at five other Prime Healthcare hospitals in four states to sympathy strike or picket

Nurses at Olympia Fields Hospital in Olympia Fields, Illinois, gave notice to Prime Healthcare today that they will hold a strike for one day on September 15 to protest the administration’s retaliation against nurses who speak up and fight for their patients.

National Nurses Organizing Committee

September 3, 2026

Nurse on picket line outside hospital holding signs "Prime RNs United for our Patients"

Nurses demand immediate reinstatement of colleagues unlawfully suspended by Prime Healthcare for speaking up for patients at two of its Chicago hospitals

In gross violation of national labor laws, Prime Healthcare over the past week has retaliated against registered nurses for speaking up and fighting for their patients at two of its Chicago-area hospitals, suspending six nurses at Olympia Fields Hospital in Olympia Fields, Ill. and one nurse at Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, Ill.

National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United

September 2, 2026

Four nurses, outside, smiling, side-by-side, holding signs "Recruit, Retain, Respect RNs"

Prime nurses in three states give notice for one-day strikes, Prime RNs file petition for union elections

Nurses at West Anaheim Medical Center in Anaheim, Calif.; Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Reno, N.V.; Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Chicago, Ill.; and nurses and health care workers at Shasta Regional Medical Center in Redding, Calif. gave notice to their employer Prime Healthcare that they will hold one-day strikes from Sept. 3 to Sept. 4 to protest the administration’s refusal to address deep concerns about patient care and safe staffing.

National Nurses United/National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association/Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union

August 24, 2026

Picture of Red Alert tour bus against city backdrop

Chicago nurses put Community First Medical Center on “RED ALERT” status

On Saturday, Aug. 8, Community First Medical Center nurses will hold a rally and community event in Chicago to highlight their concerns about the impact of federal funding cuts on the hospital, which is already struggling with chronic staffing and equipment shortages exacerbated by poor management. A report from NNU put Community First on “Red Alert” status, warning that it faces a dire threat of service cuts and closure because of its reliance on federal funding.

National Nurses United

August 5, 2026

UChicago Ingalls RNs win strong contract

Registered nurses at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Ill. voted overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying a new four-year contract on April 7, winning protections to improve patient safety and nurse retention.

July 9, 2025

Never Giving Up

Cook County nurses won a months-long battle to get the retention retroactive pay they won in a contract extension. Don’t give up,” said Brenda Langford, RN, PPC member, chief nurse representative at Chicago’s Stroger Hospital, and an NNOC board member. “It does take time to win a campaign, and it can take multiple campaigns to hold management accountable."

December 20, 2024

Chicago nurses score contract victory

Registered nurses at UChicago Medicine in Chicago, Ill., voted overwhelmingly in March to approve a new four-year agreement that addresses numerous patient safety concerns. In February the nurses voted 97 percent in favor of authorizing their nurse bargaining committee to call a one-day strike if management did not address their chronic staffing concerns.

June 5, 2024

UChicago nurses rally for safe staffing

Registered nurses at UChicago Medicine in February authorized a strike after holding an informational picket and rally to demand the university address their patient safety concerns and settle their contract in a timely manner. National Nurses Organizing Committee represents 2,800 nurses at UChicago Medicine.

March 29, 2024

Veterans Affairs nurses keep up the fight for patient safety

Veterans Affairs nurses have been speaking out about patient safety and the nurse staffing crisis throughout the VA, holding pickets, rallies, and other actions.

January 12, 2024