Nurses of Wilcox Medical Center petition for safe staffing ratios

The nurses of Wilcox Medical Center, part of Hawai‘i Pacific Health and sister hospital of Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu, have joined their O‘ahu counterparts in signing a petition calling for safe staffing ratios at their hospital.

Signed by 93% of the hospital’s 159-member nursing team, the petition was delivered to Wilcox Medical Center’s management on Wednesday.

“Nurses are willing to go the extra mile to make sure patients receive the care they need, but when we are stretched too thinly, it becomes impossible to maintain high standards of quality in the care we deliver to patients,” said Quyen Rockwell, who has been a Wilcox nurse for the past 13 years. “Our patients suffer, we suffer and no one wins with chronic understaffing.”

The Hawai‘i Nurses Association began negotiations with Wilcox Medical Center on May 6. The contract was extended on May 31 and the parties hope to have a successor contract in place before the contract extension expires on Aug. 31.

President and CEO of Wilcox Medical Center Jen Chahanovich confirmed receiving the petition and said she appreciated that the nurses took time to share their thoughts.

“We care about our nurses and are proud of their commitment to our patients and community,” Chahanovich said, adding she looked forward to the next negotiation session on July 31 and remains focused on reaching an agreement.

“Unlike those in Honolulu, patients on Kaua‘i have fewer options when they need care. They don’t have the luxury of choosing to go to another hospital,” said Hawai‘i Nurses’ Association President Rosalee Agas-Yuu, noting that Wilcox Medical Center is the largest medical center on Kaua‘i, with an 18-bed Emergency Department, four birthing suites, seven intensive care beds and 20 same-day surgery beds. “Our goal is to avoid disruptions in care for Kaua‘i’s patients.”

On Tuesday more than 1,200 nurses from Kapi‘olani and The Queen’s Medical Center’s Punchbowl and West O‘ahu campuses participated in an informational picket to bring attention to the urgent need to address patient safety concerns in the hospitals.

“Every nurse is important. We cannot afford to lose any more nurses to burnout, exhaustion, and frustration,” said Dianna Rodriguez, who has been a Wilcox nurse for the past six years.