Nurses and technicians at Down East Community Hospital are holding rallies this weekend to call attention to the chronic staffing shortage at the facility that they say is a safety issue.
They're part of the Maine State Nurses Association and have been bargaining for a new contract since last September.
Berta Alley, chief nurse representative and negotiator, says each nurse in her unit is often assigned five patients, and that has overburdened staff and driven some to quit.
"They feel like they're being put in unsafe situations and they don't want to put their licenses at risk," Alley says. "That leaves those left behind feeling bad and morale is down."
Kirsti Simmons is a registered nurse who's been working in the Emergency Department at Down East Community Hospital for nearly five years. She said sometimes there is only one nurse in the ED overnight when there should be at least two.
"Because at any time something can come through that door, a multi-vehicle car crash or something life or death, and you just get pulled in every direction and cannot take care of everyone," Simmons says.
Alley says the union is working on contract language that she believes could entice some of those staffers back.
Down East Community Hospital spokesperson Julie Hixson says the ratio of one nurse to five patients happens rarely, and she says the hospital uses travel nurses to help with staffing shortages.
"We have a safe working environment for our staff and our patients. Our staffing ratios are below the national average and well within contract expectations. This really truly is typical union tactics during negotiations and nothing more, " Hixson says.
