<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0ZCNbX_1H2wT2fA00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0ZCNbX_1H2wT2fA00" width="700" height="500" ><figcaption>Putnam Hospital nurses</figcaption></figure>CARMEL – ‘Safe staffing saves lives’ was the theme of a demonstration Thursday outside Putnam Hospital Center organized by members of the New York State Nursing Association at Northwell Health Putnam Hospital.The nurses have alleged that Northwell, which recently assumed ownership of Putnam’s lone medical center, has repeatedly ignored their input in showing and maintaining staffing guidelines that ensure safe staffing and better patient outcomes.The nurses charged that as the largest private employer in the state with 30 hospitals and more than 900 other medical facilities owned and one of the wealthiest healthcare systems, Northwell can afford to include enforceable staffing standards for Putnam Hospital in writing. Nurses’ bargaining unit president Nicole Cadella told the demonstration, “I care about my patients and don’t want them to feel rushed when they are discharged after surgery. Sometimes we get breaks late in the day — or not at all — because there aren’t enough staff members to cover us. Nurses have resigned over impossible workloads. These issues must be addressed in our contract, but it feels like Northwell is stalling.” Cadella also alleged that Northwell was one of the wealthiest healthcare systems in New York. “They continue to buy community hospitals to expand their footprint, but they need to invest in those hospitals and maintain the level of care patients are used to. We will not allow them to take over our hospital, over-work our nurses and drive costs for patients. They should be working with us to provide the resources, staffing, and care that our community needs,” she said.The informational picket attended by some 100 professionals revealed that the nurses’ previous contract expired on Dec. 31, 2025, and for over a year, they have been bargaining for a new contract that would protect quality patient care in Putnam County. The nurses charged that Northwell has submitted staffing plans to the New York State Department of Health that include nurse-to-patient ratios that would make it harder for nurses to deliver the level of care that Putnam County residents deserve.Medical-surgical nurse Coral Palmer told the rally, “Northwell is putting its nurses in an impossible situation. Every day, short staffing makes it increasingly difficult to provide the safe, quality care our patients deserve. It’s time for Northwell to start taking nurses and our calls for safe staffing and quality patient care seriously. The people of this community deserve better than a hospital that only cares about generating revenue.”State Senator Peter Harckham attended the rally. “Safe staffing improves patient outcomes and reduces nurse burnout, helping nurses remain on the job. It is required by law and must be enforced. Nurses are the lifeblood of this hospital, and they deserve both a fair contract and safe staffing levels. Putnam Hospital’s patients—the people who matter most—must receive exceptional care,” he said.Northwell Health spokesman Brian Donnelly said, “We respect our team members’ right to conduct informational picketing. This is not a strike, and Putnam Hospital will remain fully operational, with patients continuing to receive uninterrupted, high-quality care throughout. Our nurses are essential to the exceptional care our patients receive every day and take their concerns seriously. We remain committed to working with NYSNA to reach a fair, sustainable agreement that supports our nurses and prioritizes patient care.”</div></body>

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CARMEL – ‘Safe staffing saves lives’ was the theme of a demonstration Thursday outside Putnam Hospital Center organized by members of the New York State Nursing Association at Northwell Health Putnam Hospital. The nurses have alleged that Northwell, which recently assumed ownership of Putnam’s lone medical center,...

Nurses demand fair contract at PHC

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CARMEL – ‘Safe staffing saves lives’ was the theme of a demonstration Thursday outside Putnam Hospital Center organized by members of the New York State Nu

Nurses demand fair contract at PHC

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