Schenectady RNs: "We want to join NYSNA!"

Nurses at Niskayuna's Bellevue Women's Center presented a petition to Ellis Hospital management requesting recognition of our union. Almost every single nurse at Bellevue signed the petition.

Many Bellevue nurses are specially trained to care for newborns or mothers who have delivered by C-section. Management is re-assigning these skilled nurses to care for other kinds of patients – without the appropriate level of training or orientation, say nurses. Here's what two of those RNs had to say today:

"We are very concerned that the changes management has made could compromise care for our patients – new mothers, women, and babies," said Christine Walthers, RN in post-partum. "We need a say in patient care decisions in our hospital. That's why we are joining the New York State Nurses Association."

"I see nurses being forced to take on 10 patients at once. That is too many," said Vickie Decker, RN for 24 years at Bellevue. "We're on the front lines of the changes in healthcare. We're looking forward to sitting down with Ellis Hospital management to discuss how we can work together to improve care for our patients."

Read the coverage in the Albany Times Union.

Show our newest NYSNA sisters (and one brother) your support: like and share this photo of our petition on Facebook.