ABSTRACT:

Nursing Strikes can be inconvenient, costly, and complicated. Coordinating and training a temporary replacement work force is a logistical headache, and with the added tensions surrounding a labor dispute, have the potential to become a major liability to any hospital or healthcare system. The Nursing Strike Solution allows hospitals and other healthcare providers to provide safe, continuing care while labor disputes are resolved.

Proven to work in the field, this Solution anticipates the problems that can and do arise during nursing strikes. Created and successfully implemented during an actual strike, the solution has been fine-tuned to make sure there is no decrease in patient care during a strike and to make administration of the hospital as smooth as possible during a turbulent time.

Key aspects of the solution include plans for training replacement nurses as quickly and efficiently as possible, coordinating housing and transportation to avoid encounters between striking staff and replacement personnel and more. Also integral to the solution are plans to set up a 24-hour “command center” to coordinate and administer key functions during the strike.
This Strike Solution is an indispensable component for any hospital that faces even the possibility of a strike. Easily implemented, it provides a roadmap to dealing with this difficult time.

OBJECTIVES:

How are the components of The Nursing Strike Preparation and Survival Solution used?
In order to maintain quality care during a nurse’s strike, myriad elements must be coordinated. Logistics of finding, bringing in and training replacement nurses is the most pressing, but several other factors, while less critical, are important to the continuation of care and the minimization of disruptions. The Strike Solution uses real-world experiences and lessons to anticipate and mitigate these factors. It establishes guidelines for management, security, procedures and training to allow the affected hospital to operate smoothly and professionally with minimal disruption to medical staff and quality patient care.

Rapid and effective training of temporary replacement staff allows continued high quality care for new and existing patients with minimal disruption. Replacement staff can be brought up to speed literally overnight.

Continuation of safe care without disruption, smooth operation of hospital functions in the face of a labor issue.

What problems or objectives does this Solution address?
Reaching an impasse in labor negotiations can lead to workplace disruption as unions call for strikes. While the impasse remains, hospital management still has a responsibility to maintain high quality care for both current and new patients. The Strike Solution allows hospitals to provide safe, continuing care while labor disputes are resolved.

How was the Solution developed?
The Solution Developing Staff worked together to anticipate scenarios arising from the threat of a nurses’ strike. Since the announced strike was the first of its kind in their state, the staff had little or no experience with this type of situation. All procedures and policies needed to be established from the ground up.

IMPLEMENTATION:

Were there any organizational considerations?
Faced with the possibility of a strike, the human resources department, working with the education department, formulated a plan to rapidly train replacement nurses to a level considered the minimum needed to maintain safe quality patient care. This essential training was reviewed and approved and provided to replacement nurses en masse upon their arrival.

How is this Solution Implemented?
The Strike Solution tool is available when needed. It sits ready to be implemented when the need arises. By law, most nursing strikes must be announced in advance, allowing management a window to implement the components of the Strike Solution.

What Resources, Staff and Skills are needed for successful implementation?
By their very nature, strikes are expensive propositions for both sides. Utilizing the Strike Solution Tool requires bringing in replacement nurses, incurring not only payroll costs, but travel, food and lodging as well. Staffing agencies exist that specialize in providing replacement nurses. Other costs include staffing a crisis management center, bringing in extra security, as well as costs unique to each situation. Beyond the cost of a replacement nursing staff, costs were all internal to extra security and support staff. Management, who are salaried, put in abundant additional hours at no payroll cost. The Strike Solution lays out a plan that will allow hospital management to at least anticipate and plan for costs.

PERFORMANCE:

Describe the outcomes of this Solution?
The Strike Solution tool was successfully deployed during a brief work stoppage and prevented disruption to patient care. Without this Strike Solution plan in place, patient care and hospital operations could have suffered.

What are the key elements needed to SUSTAIN this Solution?
The Strike Solution does not require ongoing attention. It is designed for use under specific circumstances and does not impact the day to day operation of facilities.

LESSONS:

Any advice to other hospitals and health systems in preparation to launching this Solution?
Begin orienting key management staff to the plan as any union negotiation begins, especially if the threat of contentious issues are apparent.

Can this Solution be modified to better fit another organization?
The information contained within the Solution materials is adaptable and can be used by any health care system or hospital.

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