Nurses at VCU Health are expressing their frustration and calling for a pay increase after other Virginia hospitals increase nurse compensation.
EXPRESSING THIER FRUSTRATION ANDCALLING FOR A PAY INCREASE...AFTER OTHER VIRGINIA HOSPITALSINCREASED COMPENSATION FOR THEIRHEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
.CBS 6'S CAROLINE COLEBURNSPOKE TO ONE NURSE ABOUT THEIRCONCERNS.
..AND IS LIVE TO TELL USABOUT THE PUSH FOR ACTION.A FLYER HAS CIRCULATED AROUNDTHE HOSPITAL CALLINGFOR NURSES TO CALL OUT SICKTODAY IN PROTEST OF A DECREASEINWORKERS ANNUAL BONUSES AND MERITBASED RAISES.I'M TOLDSOME NURSES ARE TAKING PART INTHIS "SICK-OUT" SAYING IF VCUCARES ABOUT THEIR PATIENTS, THEYSHOULD CARE ABOUT THEIRSTAFF, AND SOME OTHERS WHO ARESHOWING UP TO THEIR SHIFTS TELLME CHANGE IS NEEDED."WE'RE TIRED.I THINK THAT'S THEBIGGEST THING" FOR THE PASTYEAR AND A HALF,JACOB SHORT HAS PUT ON HISSCRUBS TO WORK THE NIGHT SHIFTON VCU'S SURGERY AND TRAUMAUNITS.."IN THE ICUS IN DOWNTOWNRICHMOND, WE'VE GOT THE SICKESTOF THE SICK." BUT JUST LASTWEEK.."A LITTLE BIT SHOCKED" HELEARNED HIS ANNUAL RAISEWOULD BE LESS THAN HE EXPECTED."HERE'S JUST ANOTHER THING,LIKE JUST ANOTHER THING THAT'STHROWN AT US THAT WE'RE TOLD,YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY DEAL WITHIT." A CHANGE.ORG PETITIONSTARTEDTWO DAYS AGO BY VCU NURSES HASGATHERED MORE THAN 36-HUNDREDSIGNATEURS.IT NOTES THEIRMERIT BONUSES HAVE DECREASEDFROM LAST YEAR..."YOU CAN ONLY GET, LIKE 3% RAISEFOR EXCEPTIONALOR EXCEEDEXPECTATIONS, SOMETHING LIKETHAT, WHICH THEY DON'T TYPICALLYGIVE OUT.BECAUSE, YOUKNW, OIT'S RESERVED FOR AHANDFUL OF STAFF THAT REALLYMEET THOSE QUALIFICATIONS"AND THE PETITIONAL SO STATESWHILE FULL TIME EMPLOYEESRECEIVED A 725 DOLLARAPPRECIATION BONUS IN 2020,THIS YEAR'S SUGGESTED AMOUNT IS400.THESE ARE TWOREASONS A FLYER HAS CIRCULATEDTHROUGHOUT THE HOSPITAL CALLIN GFOR A HOSPITAL WIDE "SICK OUT"MONDAY.
"I'VE HEARD OF A FEWFRIENDSPARTICIPATING.YOU KNOW,SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVEW E,THEY'VE GOT TO GET PEOPLE'SATTENTION IN SOME WAY.BUT VCU HEALTH SENT US ASTATEMENT READING "THEREWERE NO ISSUES THIS MORNING.VCUHEALTH STAFF ARE PROVIDING GREATCARE TO OUR PATIENTS AS THEYDO EVERY DAY.THEY ARE TRULYHEALTH CARE HEROES." ASPOKESPERSON ALSO NOTED THEHEALTHCARE SYSTEM RECENTLYANNOUNCED AN INCREASE IN THEMINIMUM WAGEFROM $12 TO $15 AN HOUR,PERFORMANCE MERIT INCREASESAND APPRECIATION BONUSES.BUT SHORT AND SOME OF HISCOLLEAGUES SAY THE PAY IS LESSTHAN HEOTR HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS INTHE AREA AND THEYDON'T FEEL APPRECIATED.
"WE JUSTNEED CHANGE, WEWOULD LIKE ANSWERS ABOVEANYTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW, DON'TASK FOR FEEDBACK FROM US, ANDTHEN SH UTUS DOWN.WHEN YOU'RE GETTING THE FEEDBACKTHAT YOU NDO'T WANT TO HEAR"THE THREE YEAR RN AND HIS WIFEHAVE A BABY ON THE WAY INDECEMBER..AND WHILE HE LOVES HISJOB.."I SAW A POSTING FOR MY POSITIONTHAT I'M DOING NOW AND ANOTHERINSITTUTION WITH A $25,000 SIGNONBONUS" HE SAYS HE ALSO HAS TOTHINKABOUT HIS FUTURE.THE CHANGE.ORG PETITION ALSOASKS VCU HEALTH TO GIVE STAFF ABASE 5 PERCENT COST OF LIVINGINCREASE.AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR ARESPONSE TO THE PETITION NOLATERTHAN NOVEMBER 15TH.WORKING FOR YOU IN RICHMOND, CC,CBS 6 NEWS.
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