Nurses At Lower Bucks Hospital Threaten Strike Over Contract Dispute, Staffing Concerns

Nurses at Lower Bucks Hospital have warned the medical center owner that they will strike if a contract deal is not reached soon.

On Monday, 96 percent of members of the Nurses Association of Lower Bucks Hospital voted to issue a 10-day strike notice to Prime Healthcare, the owner of the Bristol Township hospital.

Nurses at Suburban Community Hospital in Montgomery County, which is also owned by California-based Prime Health, also voted to warn that facility on a plan to strike.

The contract for nurses at the hospitals lapsed on October 11.

At an information picket in late October, the Lower Bucks Hospital nurses raised alarm over what they consider dangerously low staff levels, trouble retaining employees, and health insurance that is lacking.

“As our hospital cuts staff, nurses pick up the slack. We act as transporters, secretaries, schedulers, aides, janitorial  workers, maintenance crew, phlebotomists, respiratory therapists, educators – the list goes on. We do this for the good of our patients, even as the number of patients assigned to each of us increases at management’s behest. It’s exhausting, and it’s unsustainable,” said Lower Bucks Hospital ICU nurse Shirley Crowell, who has worked at the hospital for 32 years and is co-president of the Nurses Association of Lower Bucks Hospital.

She added: “We deserve better, but most importantly, our patients and the community deserve better.”

Anna Carlin, a Lower Bucks Hospital ICU nurse and co-president of the Nurses Association of Lower Bucks Hospital, said the hospital’s wages lag behind other area hospitals.

“No nurse should have to beg for a decent healthcare plan, but that’s where we are,” she said.

Michelle Aliprantis, the spokesperson for Lower Bucks Hospital and Suburban Community Hospital, said Prime Healthcare “continues to bargain in good faith.”

“Proposals have been delivered to the union from the hospitals that would increase wages and provide a valuable healthcare plan, maintain important benefits, and be competitive with other hospitals in the market. It is disappointing that despite progress being made, the union has walked away from negotiations and has chosen to strike, but that will not impact our commitment to providing quality patient care to our communities throughout the holidays and always,” she said.