About 5,000 frontline healthcare workers in Oregon went on strike early Friday, sparking the biggest health care walkout in the state’s history.
In addition to the thousands of nurses, the walkout affects eight institutions in the state, including 150 doctors and advanced practitioners.
Although Providence workers have only gone on short-term strikes in the past, this one has no end date in sight. The already overburdened health care system in Oregon might be severely disrupted by a strike that might last days or longer and affect several locations of one of the biggest healthcare providers in the area.
Providence and the other hospitals in the area have had more than ten days to be ready since healthcare workers are required to notify employers in advance of their intention to go on strike. In order to maintain hospital operations throughout the strike, Providence has employed 2,000 temporary nurses.
However, it has been more difficult to replace the doctors and advanced practitioners who went on strike at St. Vincent Medical Center and its chain of six women’s clinics.
Providence St. Vincent Medical Center said it had delayed procedures and would have to limit new patient admissions due to up to 70 hospitalists going on strike.
At its women’s clinics, where 80 doctors, nurse practitioners, and nurse midwives have quit their jobs, Providence has also begun rescheduling appointments.
Providence Portland, Providence Willamette Falls in Oregon City, Providence Milwaukie, Providence Hood River, Providence Seaside, Providence Newberg, and Providence Medford are among the other hospitals that are part of the strike.
Contracts involving several bargaining units have not been agreed upon by Providence and the Oregon Nurses Association, which represents the nurses and other frontline healthcare workers.
According to the union, even during the strike, patients in need of medical attention shouldn’t put off visiting a hospital or clinic. According to the union, seeking medical attention does not constitute crossing the picket line.
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According to Providence, a 20% wage increase for nurses over the following three years—not including overtime, holiday pay, or incentives—has been recommended. The health institution claimed that in order to entice people to accept the new contract, it has also provided signing bonuses of up to $5,000.
However, the union claims that the ongoing staffing shortages that have afflicted hospitals and the larger health care system since the COVID-19 outbreak are also a factor in the disagreement.
At a press conference on Thursday, Gina Ottinger, a registered nurse at Providence St. Vincent, stated that the matter at hand is more than just compensation. It concerns patient care, personnel, health care for employees, and general working environment.
The complexity of patient care and the increasing expectations to care for more patients that nurses believe to be safe or reasonable have not been taken into consideration by Providence management, according to Ottinger.
In the meantime, the striking physicians and advanced practitioners at Providence St. Vincent and the women’s clinics want Providence to limit hospital admissions when patient numbers are higher than what physicians can fairly handle in order to alleviate chronic staffing issues.
–Kristine de Leon uncovers tales about data enterprise, small company, retail, and consumer health. [email protected] is her email address.
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