ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Dozens of Mission nurses braved the cold Thursday to rally in front of the hospital, calling on owner HCA Healthcare to improve staffing levels.
A flyer from National Nurses United and National Nurses Organizing Committee said HCA continues to push dangerous staffing levels, which jeopardizes patient care.
“No more profits over care,” the nurses yelled while vehicles going down Biltmore Avenue honked. “Patients over profits.”
Nurse Gabby Taylor said the hospital had made some temporary fixes, but they weren’t enough.
“Things will get better for a while, then they go back to unsafe staffing, Taylor said. “They have the ability. They have the resources. But they’re not doing it.”
According to the flyer, the nurses want:
- Improved contracts for weekenders
- Break relief for nurses for all units and shifts
- No more hallway beds or split assignments and a resource nurse in the emergency department
- PKS pay for all shifts, units and nurses until staffing levels are safe for all patients
- Improved staffing grids
- Stop tripling nurses in ICUs
- Strengthen the grids on K6 and K8
“Nurses will not stand by while HCA gambles with patient safety,” the flyer said. Nurses know what safe staffing looks like and are united in demanding real solutions — not cost-cutting excuses.”
The rally comes just days after a patient was found dead in a hospital bathroom. One person was fired, the hospital confirmed, but no other details about the incident have been released.
“It is disappointing, but not surprising, that NNU is attempting to capitalize on a tragic event and, without evidence, blame it on something other than what it actually was,” Mission Health spokesperson Nancy Lindell said. “As stated previously and despite what has been insinuated, the February ER incident was a result of hospital protocols not being followed by certain staff members and not the result of staffing levels. Those are the facts. But the NNU will likely continue these types of attention seeking tactics even though we negotiated over these issues and reached an agreement only months ago.”
In October 2024, Mission Hospital nurses reached an agreement with the hospital, ratifying a new three-year contract, effectively avoiding a potential strike and ensuring continued patient care; the deal includes measures to improve nurse retention and patient safety.
“We continue to prioritize our hiring and recruitment efforts — adding more than 240 members to our team in January and holding more than 36 recruitment events over the last two months,” Lindell said. “We are proud of our clinical outcomes, and the daily feedback we receive from our patients confirms the excellent care they receive, even in these busy periods.”
MORE COVERAGE:
1 person fired after patient found dead in Mission Hospital bathroom
No strike: Mission Hospital, nurses agree to 3-year contract