BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — Registered nurses from the Buffalo VA Medical Center say they are speaking out on behalf of their patients and want to reveal what they call a “grievous failure" by hospital management for not creating a plan ahead of the deadly Christmas blizzard.
“There is nobody in leadership that can tell you what goes on at the bedside,” remarked Edith Nesbitt, RN, associated director of National Nurses United Union, Buffalo.
Nurses who spoke out appeared across the street from the VA Medical Center on Bailey Avenue Tuesday.
“No additional nurses were brought in. There were no arrangements made to offer nurses lodging next to the hospital like other hospitals. There were no arrangements to provide transportation for the nurses like other hospitals did,” commented Nicole White, RN, director, NUU, Buffalo.
The VA nurses say they spent hours, stranded at the hospital during the blizzard with no relief in sight.
“I was here 66 hours. Another nurse I work with was here 72 hours. She left Monday morning, so from Friday to Monday morning she was here because there was no staff,” remarked Michael Buehlman, RN. “It was awful. I didn't sleep for 23 hours.”
“They didn't have food for the nurses. They really did not have any preparation. It was one shift that got stuck and they were the ones who ended up staying the entire time because nobody made provisions to assist with getting nurses in or out,” Nesbitt noted.
Amy Clark is a lead Stuart with the local union. She says VA clinics at the hospital were open Friday at the start of the storm and staff came in.
“On Friday, December 23 clinics were still opened and staff was mandated to report in and some of those staff were stuck trying to get home to loved ones because they were dismissed and told to go home,” stated Clark.
I asked the hospital for a comment and received a written statement, but it fails to directly respond to a storm plan:
“VA nurses have served on the front lines of Veteran care, ensuring that each patient receives the quality health care and services they have earned and deserve. They continue to work tirelessly providing the compassionate care VA nurses are known for.
We could not be more proud of our nurses’ individual and collective contributions and sacrifices. While there is no shortage of nurses currently at our facility, we will continue to vigorously pursue multiple avenues to recruit and retain our nursing workforce.”
Veterans Administration, Buffalo, NY
“There is nothing — nothing for retention here. I stay here because I love taking care of our veterans, but we have so many nurses here — they do things to get nurses in, but what do you to keep the nurses that's already here,” questions Nesbitt.
VA nurses in Buffalo speaking out saying hospital administration did not prepare for blizzard and “management’s refusal to address the chronic staffing crisis.” @WKBW pic.twitter.com/a2ILXgEBDL
— Eileen Buckley (@eileenwkbw) January 10, 2023
Nurses say management has not listened to their repeated complaints to deal with what they call a "chronic staffing crisis" to retain nurses to work bedside.
“There are plenty of nurses out there. They're just not willing to come to the bedside,” White explained.
“I walked on units that had nurses begin to cry when they see me. They express to me that they do not know how much longer they can work in these conditions,” reflected Nesbitt.
The union says they have continued to beg management to come to the table and listen to their concerns and work together to retain nurses, but the door has been closed to them.