Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center nurses have agreed to a new four-year collective bargaining agreement with the Medical Center. On Monday (April 28), nurses voted overwhelmingly to ratify the new contract, which extends through March 31, 2012.
On Friday (April 25), Penn State Hershey Medical Center reached tentative agreement with Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Healthcare Pennsylvania, the union which represents approximately 1,200 registered nurses at the Medical Center, on terms and conditions for a new labor contract.
"Our highly skilled and compassionate nurses make significant and collaborative contributions to the delivery of high-quality patient care at Penn State Hershey Medical Center," said Donna Reck, chief nursing officer. "We believe this contract appropriately recognizes the professionalism and excellence of our nurses and effectively positions the Medical Center to remain a leader in the region and continue our successful retention and recruitment of qualified nurses."
Currently, Penn State Hershey Medical Center has an overall nursing vacancy rate of only 6.1 percent, much lower than the national average of 8.5 percent reported by the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the state average of 7.8 percent as reported by the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP).
In August 2007, the Medical Center achieved Magnet recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for excellence in nursing and patient care. The honor was attained in large part due to the collaborative relationship and shared governance model that empowers Medical Center nurses and involves them in decision-making. Less than 5 percent of health-care organizations in the United States have earned Magnet designation.