Nurses Union: UPHS-Marquette staffing shortfalls continue
Nurses at UP Health System – Marquette are still concerned about staffing levels.
In a letter to members on Monday, Local Michigan Nurses Association President Stephanie DePetro said the hospital continues to have urgent staffing shortfalls.
DePetro said that staff to patient ratios have increased to dangerous levels. She also cites a rising number of mandatory 16-hour shifts.
She said the union presented a proposed plan to retain current hospital staff and recruit new employees to UPHS administration on September 14th.
According to DepPetro, after several follow-up conversations, UPHS CEO Gar Atchison guaranteed a response to union concerns by October 4.
She said the union did not hear from hospital administration today.
DePetro said quote:
“Administration has yet to respond to our proposed retention and recruitment plan, nor have they offered any plan of their own….We need all union members to come together that the staffing levels are unacceptable,” Endquote.
According Michigan coronavirus tracking, there were 19 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at UPHS-Marquette.
Six of those patients were in the ICU.
According to the report 82 percent of the hospital’s beds are filled.
UPHS Administration has been in contact via e-mail regarding this matter. We will update the story as information is provided.