Thousands of Ascension nurses to strike over ‘unsafe staffing practices’

Thousands of Ascension nurses in Kansas and Texas plan to strike on June 27 over what they say are “unsafe staffing practices,” the union representing the nurses, National Nurses United, announced on June 15.

The 2,000 nurses claim the three hospitals they work at face “chronic” short staffing that “makes it challenging to provide the highest quality of care to their patients.”

The nurses are planning a one-day strike at Christi St. Joseph Hospital and Christi St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, Kansas, as well as at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, Texas.

“Ascension management pushed nurses to this position by failing to listen to or implement our solutions to address the staffing crisis,” Monica Gonzalez, a nurse in the neurology unit at Ascension Seton Medical Center, said in the union’s June 15 press release.

Christine Gleason, an Ascension spokesperson, said in a statement to Healthcare Brew that the health system is “disappointed National Nurses United has made the decision to proceed with a one-day strike, especially given the hardship this will present for our associates and their families, and the concern this action may cause our patients and their loved ones.”

“Patient safety is our top priority, and our ministries are well-prepared to remain open and care for our patients during this work stoppage event. We have a comprehensive contingency plan in place to ensure there is no disruption in care or service for those we are privileged to serve,” Gleason continued.

The New York Times published an investigation into Ascension’s staffing levels in December 2022, claiming the St. Louis-based health system “spent years reducing its staffing levels in an effort to improve profitability, even though the chain is a nonprofit organization with nearly $18 billion of cash reserves.”

Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin also sent a letter to Ascension CEO Joseph Impicciche in February 2023, writing that “Ascension appears to be evaluating each staffing decision, service line, and hospital location as solely a business decision while seeking to bolster cash to put toward its investment funds.”

Ascension runs an investment fund that manages more than $41 billion, according to a 2022 SEC filing.

“Union nurses across Ascension stand united for our patients and against management’s profiteering,” Lisa Watson, a nurse at Christi St. Francis Hospital, said in the June 15 press release. “It’s disrespectful to be asked to take care of more patients with fewer resources. These conditions have everything to do with management’s decision-making and nothing to do with the excuse of the so-called nursing shortage that’s actually a staffing crisis they created.”