REDWOOD FALLS (KMHL) – Nurses in Redwood Falls are planning to hold an informational picket at the hospital next Tuesday.
Shawna Hamlin, a nurse at the hospital, says most of the nurses at Carris Health – Redwood Falls are from the community or area and know and live in the community. She says it’s important they are the nurses to care for the patients.
“We feel it’s important that us local nurses are able to care for them,” said Hamlin. “So a big thing that we are pushing is that they care that they retain us, that’s not a feeling nurses are having lately, and that’s been expressed to management.”
Hamlin added that retaining nurses isn’t a priority to management. She says the issue is really centered around changes in staffing. She says management wants nurses to take additional weekends of call.
“Some of these changes, in the end, could require nurses to work up to nine days in a row, 12 hour shifts,” said Hamlin. “That not only affects our safety, but patient safety in the end.”
Carris Health – Redwood confirmed the picket, but says it will not interfere with patient care.
“Carris Health – Redwood employs exceptional nurses that are consistently recognized for their good care,” said Carris Health – Redwood administrator, Bryan Lydick. “We are committed to providing exceptional, uninterrupted care to our patients. Their health and well being is our top priority.”
Nurses are planning to set up the informational picket on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
