Nurses, hospital staff call for better security at Butler Memorial Hospital
Butler Memorial Hospital nurses and staff are marching Monday, March 24, for increased security measures and to maintain a fair staff-to-patient ratio in the emergency room as part of an informational picket.
The nurses and staff of Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP) union will be marching in multiple sessions throughout the day at the event, which comes as the union negotiates a new contract.
Those nurses and staff participating either have the day off or are choosing to march during their break.
Shannon Herrington, an ICU nurse who has worked at the hospital since 2017, said the union is looking for more metal detectors and security guards.
Herrington, who is vice president of the hospital’s union branch, said the Independence Health Systems hospital has only one metal detector located in the emergency room, which poses safety concerns of a gun being brought into the hospital.
She said a recent incident at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York County, where a police officer was killed and five others were shot “hit close to home.”
“We want a safer place to work,” Herrington said.
She added the hospital’s tower entrance where most patients and visitors enter has one employee who gives directions and guest stickers, but no employees or security follow the visitor to ensure they arrive at their destination.
A statement from Independence Health System indicated that the union had informed the system about its informational picketing.
“This demonstration is not a strike and will not disrupt employees, operations or patient care,” the system said in the statement. “We respect our nurses’ right to voice their concerns, and we remain committed to ongoing dialogue to ensure the best outcomes for our employees, patients and community.”
The statement said the system has listened to its members’ concerns, especially regarding workplace safety, which it calls a “priority” and “mutual challenge.”
“The safety and security of our patients, staff and visitors are our highest priorities,” the statement said. “We are deeply committed to maintaining an environment where everyone feels safe and valued and welcome input from PASNAP and all employees.
“While we do not disclose specific details about our advanced security protocols, we continuously monitor, review and enhance our security measures, as well as foster a culture of preparedness and collaboration with our staff, on-site security, and local authorities. Our goal is that all our facilities remain secure and welcoming places for everyone who walks through our doors.”
Devin Doctor, a registered nurse trained in case management who is part of the union’s contract negotiation team, who was outside the hospital for the picket early Monday morning, said when representatives asked for metal detectors, the hospital’s negotiation team asked what the nurses would give up in return.
“(They are) treating protocols done at every school as a luxury when we want them,” Doctor said.
She added the union’s negotiation team also wants a security guard for the emergency room and to maintain manageable staffing grids, which is the ratio of health care professionals to patients. Doctor has worked at the hospital since 2017, both as a nurse and in case management.
The Monday statement from Independence Health System recognizes safety and financial challenges in the post-COVID era, which the system is asking the union to “partner with us on.”
“We are working cooperatively and respectfully to find solutions to our shared problems are committed to reaching a fair and equitable agreement with PASNAP,” the system’s statement said. “To suggest otherwise simply is not the case. We look forward to continued discussions.”
