New Pact Will Improve Recruitment and Retention of Experienced RNS at Island's Only Hospital

Registered nurses at Alameda Hospital in Alameda, Calif. voted unanimously to ratify a new contract, the California Nurses Association announced today. 

The new pact, covering 120 registered nurses at Alameda Hospital, operated by the public, not-for-profit, Alameda Health System, features protected healthcare coverage and retirement benefits and significant economic gains. 

Provisions in the new contract will improve the hospital's ability to assure safe staffing levels and recruit and retain experienced RNs, nurses say. Over the past few years the hospital has suffered from chronic short staffing and high turnover, losing approximately 30 RNs between July 2015 and March 2016. Nurses are regularly asked to work over time, up to 16-hour shifts, back-to-back, to fill holes in the schedule. There are currently 12 openings at the hospital, the majority in the emergency department, which provides the only hospital emergency services on the island.

“I’ve been a nurse at Alameda Hospital since 1981. Over the years I have seen dedicated and experienced nurses leave, while the hospital has struggled to recruit for these positions," said Rose Klein, RN. "With the new contract I think our ability to recruit and retain experienced RNs and raise staffing levels will improve greatly.”

“I come in at all hours of the night to take care of my patients, and am particularly satisfied with the new contract's stipulation that the facility will have 24-hour security," said Glenda Cabotaje, RN. "The increased security is absolutely essential for safe patient care and it will help me have piece of mind at work."

Highlights of the contract include:

• Economic gains to help with nurse recruitment and retention that include across the board pay increases of 28 percent over the first two years of the three-year contract.  
• Maintains pension, health and dental plan coverage.
• Expanded 24-hour visible security for the facility to protect patients and nurses.
• Bilingual pay for RNs that provide translation assistance in Spanish and Tagalog and other languages to increase access and quality of care for patients and families that are non-English speaking.