TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – It’s no secret that short staffing is a problem all over the country but when it happens in hospitals, it creates a life or death situation.

Nine registered nurses at Traverse City’s Munson Medical Center have revealed that short staffing at Traverse City’s Munson Medical Center is creating dire problems. In a recent editorial that appeared in Traverse City’s Record-Eagle, the nurses said that their priority is to make sure their patients get the best care possible and stay safe in the
hospital. The went on to say, “we feel it is our moral obligation to speak out now, and let the community know that our current working conditions often make this impossible.”

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They reported that for months, understaffing has forced them to work in an unsafe environment where nurses have up to seven to eight patients each, with critical care nurses sometimes having four patients to care for.

The nurses say the understaffing and nurse-to-patient ratio is putting them and their patients at risk. Because this is becoming the “new normal” for the hospital, they decided that they can no longer remain silent about the situation.
The editorial says, “Nurses often can’t spend enough time with our patients and this is creating harmful outcomes. Those problems include administering medications late, preventable falls, infections and patients going home unprepared to take care of themselves. All of these are unacceptable.”

They say that basic needs for the patient are difficult to meet and “Despite our best efforts, we cannot protect our patients and provide the same and quality care they have been used to receiving in years past.”

The nurses have also had to sacrifice their own personal care on the shifts, not being able to stay hydrated, take a lunch break and often have to work past their scheduled shifts. Because of this, many nurses have left because they can’t continue to face the unsafe working conditions day after day.

The nurses say that they have tried to work with Munson administration to address the problems and written multiple letters to request meetings but at the time their editorial was published, they said they had not been given a response.

Michigan News Source reached out to the hospital about these issues and Dianne Michalek, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer said, “Leaders at Munson Medical Center (MMC) have responded to nurses and addressed the issues raised through a variety of channels including email and department meetings. We are also launching a
series of in-person all staff forums this week led by MMC President Matt Wille.”

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She continued, “The safety and well-being of our patients and staff is one of our top priorities. We are committed to creating a secure environment in which to say, ‘I have a concern,’ and providing processes and structures in which to escalate those concerns.”

Michalek pointed out, “Standard processes are in place to provide real time direct input for nursing assignments. Bed assignment meetings held three to four times a day help to set and adjust staffing levels based on industry standards and care criteria centered around each patient’s severity of illness. In addition, Nursing Supervisors are available 24/7 to provide front line support, mobilize extra resources as needed, and escalate issues immediately to provide patients with the safest, highest quality care.”

She recognized the staff shortages by saying, “There is no question that the last two and a half years have been among the most challenging for anyone working in healthcare, particularly those on the frontline. Nearly five million people have retired or left the industry due to burnout, accelerating national staffing shortages that preceded
the global pandemic and are impacting every hospital and healthcare system across our state and around the country. The job market is highly competitive but we are making progress which includes reducing our nurse assistant vacancies by two thirds since this winter and steadily recruiting new RNs, while continuing to supplement with a Regional Nursing Pool and traveling nurses.”