Nurses take a stand despite subzero temps
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
CANDLELIGHT VIGIL — Nurses at The Aroostook Medical Center, represented by the Maine State Nurses Association and National Nurses United, held a candlelight vigil last Wednesday evening to protest what they call the hospital’s “continued reluctance to commit to safe staffing in the facility.”
Nine nurses braved a low of minus eight — though the wind chill made it feel like minus 25 — for 15 minutes with the goal of increasing public awareness about the safe staffing issue. Participating in the vigil were, from left, front row: Kim White, Julie Goodale, Lori McPherson and Kim Cooper. Back row: Erika McGann, Amy Durland, Carrie Hass, Carol Olore and Lee Cote. Contract negotiations the next day resulted in both parties signing a tentative agreement to move forward for formal ratification.
PRESQUE ISLE — Nine nurses represented by the Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses United braved subzero temperatures last Wednesday evening as they held a candlelight vigil at The Aroostook Medical Center protesting what they call the hospital’s “continued reluctance to commit to safe staffing in the facility.”
“Our goal was to bear the elements for 15 minutes,” said Kim Cooper, TAMC RN, following the vigil. “We wanted to be visible in the public eye. We picked 5 p.m. because there is a lot of traffic at that time as people are going home from work. The whole purpose of coming out and freezing right now is because things at the table seem to be at a freeze. We were trying to help motivate things and get the community behind us.”
Temperatures last Wednesday evening were down to minus eight although the wind chill made it feel like minus 25.
“The goal of the vigil was also to show the hospital that we are serious. We are here, we are standing, we are the professionals within the institution, and we are making a statement and taking a stand,” Cooper said. “The issue is staffing toward acuity. If the patients are sicker, then you need more nurses, and more nurses equal more money.”
MSNA/NNU maintains that the hospital refuses to invest in a serious plan to recruit and retain staff and instead insists that they have the right to subcontract out RN jobs at any time and use outside and out-of-state agencies to staff the hospital.
Jason Parent, TAMC’s director of advancement, said last week that everyone at the hospital is committed to ensuring patient safety.
“We are all focused on the same objectives when it comes to the safety of our patients. Our collective goal is to maintain safe staffing levels, which we are confident we have at the present. It is a priority for all concerned, in all that we do, and certainly in the current negotiation with our nurses’ union,” said Parent. “We have made significant progress in these negotiation efforts, and we expect to have a contract signed soon.”
All of the nurses were dressed for the bitter cold.
“I’m a hockey Mom, so I was dressed for the elements,” said Cooper, “but I’m still cold. I am the chief steward within the local union and I have to take a stand. I’m a bedside nurse and am advocating for safe care and for my profession.
“Although the weather prevented a lot of the nurses from coming out,” she said, “there were nine of us that trudged forward. It’s something we felt we needed to do.”
