Reform Resurrection

The Institute of Medicine estimated that as many as 98,000 people die every year due to medical errors in hospitals. Research clearly establishes that more RNs per patient improve patient outcomes. For example, one study published by the American Public Health Association in 2005 calculated that cutting RN-to-patient ratios to 1:4 nationally could save 72,000 lives annually.

As nurses who put their patients first, Kelly Beringer, Lillie Smith-Beacham, Laura Buenrostro and Chiara Del Giudice have been working to improve nurse staffing at West Suburban Medical Center. They’ve sent letters to management, held union organizing meetings, and lobbied for nurse staffing legislation in Springfield.

Most recently they, along with other nurses throughout the Resurrection Health Care hospital network, circulated a petition to lawmakers and hospital administrators calling for legislation that sets safe nurse-to-patient ratios. Over 2,000 nurses throughout Illinois signed the petition, including 750 nurses from Resurrection hospitals.

But when this petition was sent to Resurrection CEO Sandra Bruce she indicated that they would not change their current approach to nurse staffing and stonewalled nurses’ request for a meeting. At West Suburban, management retaliated against the nurses, hoping to silence their voices for better health care.

They spoke up for us - it is time we spoke up for them.

Community residents are now organizing to support these nurse leaders. They are our neighbors. They are hard-working, well-respected nurses. And most importantly, they are willing to take risks to advocate for their patients. We support their right to organize and their call for more nurses at the bedside.

When nurses have a voice, patients benefit.