15 June 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Registered nurses in Kansas and Texas at three Ascension hospitals will participate in a one-day strike on June 27, a news release said Thursday.
National Nurses United said the strike was to protest Ascension’s “refusal to address its endemic staffing crisis.”
National Nurses United said nurses at Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph and St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, along with Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, Texas, voted to authorize the strikes by “overwhelming majorities.”
Nurses give at least 10 days of advance notice to their hospitals to allow for alternative plans to be made for patient care.
Ascension responded to KSN’s request for comment with the following statement:
We are disappointed National Nurses United has made the decision to proceed with a one-day strike, especially given the hardship this will present for our associates and their families, and the concern this action may cause our patients and their loved ones.
Patient safety is our top priority, and Ascension Via Christi is well-prepared to remain open and care for our patients during this work stoppage event. We have a comprehensive contingency plan in place to ensure there is no disruption in care or service for those we are privileged to serve.
Ascension
National Nurses United said short-staffing by hospital management at Ascension — which allegedly began “well before” the COVID-19 pandemic — makes it challenging for nurses to provide the highest quality of care.