Many questions are being asked about the PNDP. Nurses are seeking clear answers. We invite you to join us in an open forum the second week of March to discuss the PNDP that has been unilaterally imposed. CRONA is available at any time.
In an email to the nurses and postings on the SHC and LPCH websites, Nancy Lee and Pam Wells answered questions they claimed were asked of them by CRONA nurses. These questions arose when the CNO's of both hospitals made themselves "available" to CRONA nurses before the Authorization to Strike vote held on February 17, 2011. The answers leave out many details we will outline below.
In an email to the nurses and postings on the SHC and LPCH websites, Nancy Lee and Pam Wells, answered questions they claimed were asked of them by CRONA nurses. These questions arose when the CNO’s of both hospitals made themselves “available” to CRONA nurses before the Authorization to Strike vote held on February 17, 2011. The answers leave out many details we will outline below.
1. Why are the hospitals demoting the experienced staff?
SHC/LPCH Statement: “Let me assure you; we are not demoting anyone. There is nothing in this contract that requires that anyone be demoted from a staff nurse III or staff nurse IV.”
CRONA response: For the next 24 months Staff Nurse IIIs and IVs can maintain their levels as long as they meet the current criteria for those positions. If they fail to maintain under the current criteria, they will be demoted to Clinical Nurse II WITH A CUT IN PAY. The expired contract allowed demotions by only one level at a time, so an SN IV could only be demoted to an SN III. That is no longer the case under the unilaterally imposed LBFO. Even an SN IV will now be demoted to CN II.
The hospitals’ unilaterally imposed LBFO says that SN IIIs and IVs can maintain their levels under the old criteria "during the life of this contract." Which means that after the life of this contract the hospitals have no intention of allowing SN IIIs and IVs to maintain their Staff Nurse levels under the old criteria. They will be demoted to CN IIs, and SN IVs will see their wages cut substantially. SN IIIs will also be demoted, and depending on how wages are negotiated in the next contract, they are likely to see their wages cut as well.
Remember the hospitals have stated there are too many SN IIIs and IVs. With the imposition of the PNDP that will change, but we cannot allow them to demote us and take money out of our pockets at the same time.
The eventual demotion to Clinical Nurse II will amount to the loss of many thousands of dollars for a large number of nurses…not only in base pay, but also in differentials (shift, weekend, resource), retirement accounts, in PTO/PTS taken, and in PTO cashouts.
2. Why are there criteria for advancement under the professional nurse development program (PNDP) that are not related to beside activities?
SHC/LPCH Statement: “..to be clear, nursing occurs in many places and occurs on many fronts. All of it in this program is to advance the health of our community, to support patient care and to support the profession of nursing. We have an obligation to our patients as we care for them in the moment and broader as we set practices and policies and best practices across the organization.”
CRONA response: Really? Could it be any clearer? That sounds like so much corporate-speak. But make no mistake; CRONA supports advancing the practice of nursing. The nurses, who are CRONA, have consistently provided care that has helped to make SHC and LPCH world-renowned in health care. The hospitals have said publicly that we are their "backbone." CRONA agrees that nurses who are caring for patients “in the moment” should be recognized for providing that care. SHC and LPCH nurses have always supported and participated in developing best practices that are utilized across the health care continuum.
In the past, these practices have been developed as part of a collaborative effort between the nurses and the hospitals. Perhaps the best example of that collaboration is the Nurse Practice Committee. Yet under the PNDP unilaterally imposed by the hospitals, that committee has been eliminated as a voice of and for the nurses in developing the PNDP. Under the unilaterally imposed PNDP, the chief nursing officer has sole veto power over any interpretations or further development of the PNDP, even if they have been unanimously proposed by the PNDP panel. There is no collaboration with the Nurse Practice Committee or CRONA. This is of great concern to CRONA as nurses have no real say in the future direction of this program that affects every nurse at SHC and LPCH.
3. What is the dispute regarding the baccalaureate requirement for promotions?
SHC/LPCH Statement: “First we value the nurses that we have today who have worked with us for many years as staff nurse III’s and IV’s and there is no intention to ask anyone to do more than what we are currently asking them to do. If you want to promote within the new clinical ladder there are additional requirements and one of those is either a bachelor’s degree or, an option if you have a certain number of years of experience, of actually getting a certification in your specialty. We will help and support both of those options should you choose to take either route but there is nothing requiring you to get a certification or a bachelor’s degree."
CRONA response: Staff Nurse IIIs and IVs can maintain their levels for the next 24 months, as we stated above; but despite the alleged “value” in which the hospitals say they hold you, you will be demoted to a Clinical Nurse II with a cut in pay if you do not “do more than what they are currently asking you to do,” i.e. get a bachelors in nursing or a specialty certification. (You can only use the certification option if you meet other hospital mandated criteria.) CRONA does not believe that magically, 24 months from now, nurses who have built a reputation for excellence at these hospitals will suddenly become less experienced and valuable, just because they do not have a BSN or specialty certification.
CRONA still has not received from the hospitals definitive workable plans for helping nurses who would want to obtain their bachelors degree or certifications. The hospitals are not offering (as other hospitals with PNDPs do) any extra time off for school, or any substantial monetary assistance to help nurses pay the tens of thousands of dollars it would cost to achieve a degree. When directly questioned in the past by CRONA nurses, Nancy Lee candidly responded that none was available at this time, nor were there any plans at present to offer such aid.
CRONA believes that at a minimum, current Staff Nurse IIIs and IVs should be “grandmothered” in and eligible to apply for the PNDP. If promoted, they should not be required in the future to have a specialty certification or BSN to maintain that status or be promoted from Clinical III to Clinical IV since their expertise and value will not somehow have been diminished.
Since the CNO’s have refused to answer CRONA's questions during negotiations and instead have offered half-truths to nurses at one-on-one or small group meetings, here are several questions that they are NOT answering. You may want to ask the administrators these questions when they come to your unit.
1. "What will happen to staff nurse III and IV in April 2013 if they do not get promoted within the PNDP?" Expect the cop-out answer to be "We don't know. We'll have to discuss it at negotiations."
2. "What will happen to the non-BSN nurse who qualifies for the PNDP now (using a specialty certification) when s/he wants to maintain or promote after March 31, 2013? Will s/he be required to have a BSN (for Clinical IV) or be enrolled in a nursing program (for Clinical III)? Will enrollment in prep courses qualify?" Expect the same answer.
3. "What is the philosophy behind one written warning warranting demotion, substantial loss of pay, and having to wait 12 months before becoming eligible to reapply?"
4. "How will you help me financially to get my certification or BSN?"
5. "Will there be caps in future contracts on the number of nurses who can be Clinical Nurse IIIs and IVs?" Expect the cop-out answer described above.
