Midwives at Jacobi and North Central Bronx Hold Speak-out on Safe Staffing and Maternal Health in the Bronx
For immediate release: Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024
Contact: Andrea Penman-Lomeli | press@nysna.org | 347-559-3169
Kristi Barnes | press@nysna.org | 646-853-4489
MIDWIVES AT JACOBI AND NORTH CENTRAL BRONX HOLD SPEAK-OUT ON SAFE STAFFING AND MATERNAL HEALTH IN THE BRONX
Midwives, community members, and elected leaders spoke out on the fight for better health outcomes for Bronx families.
Bronx, N.Y.– On Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m., midwives at NYC Health+Hospitals/Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital held a speak-out to sound the alarm on the staffing crisis at Jacobi and North Central Bronx. Midwives are essential to providing safe maternal and birthing care in the Bronx, which has some of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in New York state.
The public hospital midwives who work at Jacobi and North Central Bronx hospitals handle nearly all vaginal births at their facilities and assist with C-sections. However, they currently struggle with understaffing and the pressure to care for too many patients in too short a time. Amidst the current maternal and infant mortality crisis, Bronx midwives are fighting for a fair union contract that prioritizes hiring and retaining enough qualified midwives to ensure underserved Bronx families get the care they deserve.
Midwives were joined by community members, allies, and elected officials, including Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, State Senator Nathalia Fernandez, Assembly Member John Zacarro, Assembly Member Michael Benedetto, and City Council Member Pierina Ana Sanchez.
State Senator Nathalia Fernandez, said, “Midwives are essential to addressing the maternal and infant mortality crisis in the Bronx, where rates are among the highest in New York. They are on the frontlines, providing critical care for families while facing chronic understaffing and overwhelming workloads. These dedicated professionals deserve a fair contract with pay parity and the resources needed to deliver the quality care our communities deserve."
“As I await the arrival of my second child, there isn’t a day I don’t worry about maternal health crisis in NYC,” said Council Member Pierina Sanchez. “We owe it to the medical professionals who are by our side during our most beautiful and vulnerable moments to be provided increased staffing, safe working conditions, and competitive wages. These midwives have been without a contract for far too long. A new and fair contract at H+H Jacobi and North Central Bronx will reduce maternal mortality and ensure families receive equitable health services throughout NYC.”
NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, BSN, RN, CCRN, said, “Although our city’s public health system promises to care for all New Yorkers, it is failing to adequately invest in the essential maternal and birthing care that midwives provide. To address the maternal and infant mortality crisis, hospitals and healthcare centers must do all they can to keep experienced midwives at the bedside. A fair union contract for Bronx midwives is an investment in maternal healthcare for the Bronx community.”
Valerie Nelson, CNM, said, “In addition to our patients’ pregnancies, we are addressing lack of stable housing, tenuous immigration status, mental health concerns, and chronic conditions. We are expected to fit all of this into our overbooked schedule. This is not nearly enough time to address these issues, leaving us skipping lunch or working through or after hours to get the job done. Our patients deserve better, as do we.”
Kinikia Reid, CNM, NYSNA Negotiating Committee Member, said “I come home exhausted and frustrated that I didn’t get as much done as I needed to. But as midwives, we are expected to absorb the care and the extra work. There is an expectation that we will take this all on while dealing with understaffing and high turnover rates. There is an expectation that because we care, we will not complain—and that’s not fair. That’s why we are fighting for a fair contract.”
New York City has claimed that maternal health is a top priority—this requires serious action. If the city is going to address this crisis, there needs to be an investment in midwifery care at Jacobi and North Central Bronx. Both hospitals are part of the city’s public hospital system and provide essential safety net care to Bronx communities.
Midwives at Jacobi and North Central Bronx are routinely scheduled at 127% and are double booked. They address many health and social concerns while providing a wide range of pre- and post-natal care. Midwifery has been shown to vastly improve health outcomes; however, the United States currently has some of the lowest numbers of midwives when compared to peer countries. Although there have been efforts to improve maternal health in New York, investing in hiring and retaining more midwives in the Bronx by improving wages and working conditions is essential to improving health outcomes in the Bronx.
Midwives are demanding pay parity with neighboring hospitals to attract enough qualified caregivers, as well as a plan to retain current midwives, and additional support to relieve overburdened staff. Midwives recently wrote an editorial explaining their roles and were interviewed to speak about their contract fight. NYSNA midwives are bargaining for a fair contract and have made safe staffing and retention a top priority.
###
The New York State Nurses Association represents more than 42,000 members in New York State. We are New York’s largest union and professional association for registered nurses. NYSNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United, AFL-CIO, the country's largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses, with more than 225,000 members nationwide.