Nurses Unite in Protest Against Understaffing and Unfair Management Practices at Albany Medical Center

Nurses at Albany Medical Center gathered outside the hospital on Tuesday to raise concerns about the unsafe staffing levels that they believe are jeopardizing patient safety. The nurses, who belong to the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), have filed numerous complaints about understaffing with the state Department of Health.

Despite the nurses’ complaints about staffing shortages in all units, the hospital’s management has allegedly failed to adhere to state staffing laws and maintain its safety standards, according to the NYSNA. In December, nurses filed two complaints citing insufficient staffing in critical care units as a commonplace occurrence at the hospital.

Nurses at Albany Medical Center believe that the current staffing levels contribute to nurse burnout and high turnover rates. NICU nurse Jennifer Kiehle mentioned that when nurses raise concerns about unsafe staffing, they are reprimanded by management for protesting assignments. The union has informed that the state’s Department of Health is investigating the matter.

The ongoing contract negotiations with the hospital coincided with the nurses’ demonstration, as their current union contract is set to expire at the end of July. When contacted by Spectrum News 1 for comment, Albany Medical Center’s spokesperson stated that they regularly undergo planned and unplanned visits from the Department of Health. As of now, the findings from the most recent visit are yet to be disclosed.