Nurses Association opposes sale of J.J. Foley Nursing Facility

Will affect community’s most vulnerable, RNs say

YAPHANK, Sept. 7, 2010 – The New York State Nurses Association is urging the Suffolk County Legislature not to approve selling the John J. Foley Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility to a private corporation.

The Nurses Association believes that the sale of a municipal not-for-profit agency with a philosophy is based on service would have a negative impact on the community. Privatization is based on earning a profit. Private health care corporations make money by picking and choosing who they will provide service to – clients that will bring in the most revenue. It denies care to those who are unable to pay, those whose care may be more complicated or time consuming, or those with insurance that is difficult to deal with.

The facility’s promotional literature says it has the best staff-to-patient ratio in the region, adding:

“John J. Foley is different, and that difference comes from our people… . There’s a sense of community at John J. Foley that you aren’t likely to find at most places. It doesn’t result from any one thing, but rather from the many things that differentiate Foley from other facilities.”

The Nurses Association believes these advantages – and the quality of care they provide as a result – would all be lost through privatization.

The New York State Nurses Association is the voice for nursing in the Empire State. With more than 36,000 members, it is the state's largest professional association and largest union for registered nurses. It supports nurses and nursing practice through education, research, legislative advocacy, and collective bargaining.

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