Washington Hospital Center Nurses Protecting Patient Care

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Weeks of bargaining between Nurses United of the National Capital Area and the Washington Hospital Center have failed to remedy staffing and other concerns that staff nurses cite as critical to quality patient care. “Under the Washington Hospital Center's new management team, there seems to be a short sightedness and a disturbing tendency to focus on market trends instead of excellence in patient care,” said Dottie Hararas, president of the nurses’ organization.  “But for nurses, the patient is always the center of everything we do.” While bargaining is expected to continue through next Monday, when the current contract is set to expire, Nurses United -- which represents 1,600 registered nurses at Washington’s largest civilian hospital – is planning to mount a protest next Tuesday to demand better staffing levels and challenge efforts by the hospital to roll back wages and change working conditions.