SANFORD, Fla. – A group of registered nurses held a rally Tuesday to push for changes to what they called chronic short-staffing and insufficient resources.
The gathering was held outside HCA’s Lake Monroe Hospital in Sanford and was part of a national day of action for members of National Nurses United (NNU).
“All we’re asking for is that they give us enough staff and enough of the equipment that it takes to make sure that our patients are cared for properly,” NNU member Lorraine Sikes said.
According to NNU, nurses are demanding that their employers address the current nationwide staffing crises by ensuring there is safe staffing in all units and that nurses have the proper equipment needed to care for their patients.
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“We want to do everything that we can, but we don’t feel that we’re getting the support from the higher-ups that we need to do the job,” Sikes said.
According to Nursing Solutions, Inc., the U.S. is facing a historic staffing shortage of nearly 250,000 registered nurses and 24,000 are needed in Florida.
In response to Tuesday’s rally, Trip Farmer, director of media relations for HCA Healthcare North Florida Division, released a statement.
“At HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital, we believe a strong culture of respect and collaboration among our colleagues is critical to our mission. We value all members of our care teams and we provide a safe environment for our patients, caregivers and visitors. Our staffing is safe and appropriate and in line with that of other community hospitals and applicable regulations. We are proud to have received many recent recognitions from independent Healthgrades including HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital among the top 10% in the nation for patient safety for several years in a row. Despite the challenges of a national nursing shortage, we have hired more than 100 nursing positions, including RN’s, PCT’s and nurse externs so far this year. In addition, we constantly seek opportunities to hire new nurses. Our hospital continues to host hiring events throughout the year, including a recruitment event taking place next week.”
Trip Farmer, director of media relations for HCA Healthcare North Florida Division
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