Good Sam Nurses –

You fought hard for a contract which included break nurses as one of your top 2 priorities. The day has come and break nurses at Good Samaritan is effective as of today, May 1.

The Unit Based Staffing Committees and Managers have been working with the hours allotted from the CFO to create break nurse shifts which they feel will best serve your particular unit. Currently they are not hiring break nurses; but offering varying hours which nurses can pick up in Kronos. The CFO and UBSCs felt it best to roll it out this way to see what works best; then later hire break nurses for hours and shift lengths which would best serve you.

Call to action – Wear blue till we get a break! 

Sadly, nurses were extremely disappointed that the rollout did not happen today. The special cost center for break nurses did not go Live and there was no offers for break shifts by management.  HR and the CNE were notified by WSNA that we would not sit by idly while they delayed the implementation of break nurse shifts. Here’s what you can do. 

For every day for the next 2 weeks that your unit does not offer break nurse shifts:

1. Wear your blue WSNA T-shirt. If you don’t have one, then wear blue.
2. Wear your “Break for Safety” pins that we used during negotiations. We’ll get more distributed while supplies last.
3. Wear a “Break for Safety” sticker.  We’ll get them out to your unit bulletin boards this week.
4. Fill out an ADO – Assignment Despite Objection online form whenever you miss your meal and/or rest breaks. Indicate in the comments that you missed your breaks because you did not have a break nurse to offer you a break.  Or if you had to use a break buddy, you can fill out an ADO saying you don’t feel that break buddies are safe as it doubles a nurse’s assignment.
5. If you missed meal and rest breaks; be honest when you clock out and indicate which breaks you missed.

WSNA will be filing a grievance on May 2 if management fails to comply with the contract.

Here’s the Contract Language:

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING:
MEAL AND BREAK AGREEMENT

The parties agree the break buddy system shall not be the primary method of providing break relief, effective May 1, 2024. Specifically, the break buddy system shall be used as a last resource to ensure meals and breaks are provided on a unit, as defined in the unit’s meal and break plan.

1. Each unit leadership team with input from the staffing committee representative shall create a meal and break process for their unit.
2. Break relief nurses shall have similar skills, scope, and competencies and shall not have a patient assignment.
3. Units who select to use flex RNs for meal and break coverage may continue to do so as part of their unit meal and break plan.
4. Plan(s) shall be submitted to the hospital staffing committee no later than April 1, 2024 and shall be reviewed during the April 2024 staffing committee meeting for its approval.
5. Upon approval by the staffing committee, or effective May 1, 2024, leaders shall implement the meal and break plan(s).

Effectiveness:   At each monthly staffing committee meeting, the Employer shall report out on missed meals and breaks (by unit and shift) and, beginning June 1, 2024, the number of meals and breaks covered by the break buddy system or flex RNs will be reported out. 

If a unit misses more than 20% of breaks during a quarter, or is utilizing the buddy system or flex RNs more than 20% of the time, the HSC will review with the unit, during a staffing committee meeting, to discuss any systemic issues leading to missed breaks or utilization of the buddy system or flex RNs. If determined by the staffing committee as necessary, a recommendation to the impacted unit shall be made on how to meet the meal and break plan. 

Notice of Meal/Break Needs: Nurses shall take their meal and rest breaks. If a nurse is unable to take a 30-minute meal period or rest period(s), or if they are unable to assist with break relief, they shall notify their manager or designee and they shall attempt to provide the manager or designee with enough notice so they may attempt to arrange for the nurse to receive their required meal and/or break(s).

Nurses shall be completely relieved of duty while taking meal and rest breaks.

Questions/Comments, contact:

Your Good Samaritan Officers,

Ilia Mondoy, Raeli Korzeniecki, Mindy Thornton, Aaron Bradley, Anne Landen, Atalia Lapkin https://www.wsna.org/union/good-samaritan-hospital 

WSNA Organizer Grace LaMonte GLamonte@wsna.org; WSNA Nurse Rep Janet Stewart Jstewart@wsna.org