North Shore Plainview RNs outraged over firing of LBU President

Pat Barozie, RN, a 34-year veteran of North Shore Plainview Hospital and its LBU president, was dismissed on May 7 for doing nothing different than what she has done every day in her 41 years as a nurse: vocally advocating for patient safety, her profession and quality care.

Whenever on duty as relief charge in the hospital’s emergency department, Ms. Barozie was responsible for directing ancillary staff to keep operations running smoothly and ensure patient safety. She followed North Shore’s “Team Steps” and corporate compliance protocols and reported infractions to her Plainview supervisors. Ms. Barozie always has taken pride in being the “squeaky wheel” because “I know I’m speaking for my patients — many who are unable to advocate for themselves.”

NYSNA is aggressively fighting the unjust firing of our sister and member leader. A grievance and NLRB charge were filed immediately. A separate ULP was filed last winter against Plainview for union discrimination and retaliation against Ms. Barozie; that investigation is ongoing. Ms. Barozie is especially disappointed with her treatment given her consistently exceptional performance reviews and the recent comments of Maureen White, North Shore LIJ’s CNE, to NURSE.com: “The success of any hospital is going to lie largely on the success of its RNs. It is the people at the bedside that make the strongest difference in our outcomes.” That’s a philosophy Pat Barozie has always lived by, and why NYSNA will not let this outrage go unanswered.