Ascension Seton nurses overwhelmingly vote to strike following months of no deal on union contract

Ascension nurses vote to authorize strike

SHARE

SHARE

TWEET

SHARE

EMAIL

What to watch next

Organizations protest Gov. Greg Abbott's policies outside Texas Capitol

KVUE-TV Austin

Brother of Sixth Street mass shooting victim still searching for closure 2 years later

KVUE-TV Austin

2 bodies found in Llano River near Kingsland

KVUE-TV Austin

APD searching for missing endangered man

KVUE-TV Austin

Dove Springs affordable housing developments coming to southeast Austin

KVUE-TV Austin

Week in Review: June 9, 2023

KVUE-TV Austin

Austin Water crews responding to spill

KVUE-TV Austin

Army veteran finishes 1,000-mile journey to end veteran homelessness

KVUE-TV Austin

Four-car pile-up in southeast Austin crash

KVUE-TV Austin

Click to expand

UP NEXT

Nurses at Ascension Seton have voted to initiate a strike, as they continue their fight for safer conditions and more transparency from the hospital system.

The vote was made official on Thursday evening, and it will begin with a 1-day strike that nurses will decide on in the near future.

Workers say since the pandemic, the hospital system operates below the standard it should – and it’s affecting patient care.

The KVUE Defenders have been working for months to get answers, and these nurses tell us their momentum has not stopped.

"We've made efforts to communicate with the executives in the admin office and at the bargaining table at each session. We've had multiple events in the community to bring attention to these issues," said Lindsay Spinney, an RN in the neonatal ICU at Ascension Seton.

Spinney said these efforts have gone unrecognized.

She, along with some 900 other nurses at Ascension Seton Medical Center, are part of the National Nurses United organization, a union fighting for safe staffing and practices at Ascension Seton’s main campus.

“When they decide to not stock supplies appropriately, when we are having to reuse things that we shouldn't be reusing things, it creates, you know, problems for the nurses and the patients on a regular basis," Spinney said.

In January, union nurses held a vigil outside of Ascension Seton’s offices in the Mueller neighborhood.

“We're having really high nurse-to-patient ratios, and it's just leaving room for us to make errors that could be preventable and not giving our patients the care that they deserve," Kristine Kittelson, an RN in the mother-baby unit at Ascension Seton Medical Center, said back in January.

Four months after that rally, the Defenders caught up with Kittelson again for a sit-down interview.

She said after all that time, the hospital system still hasn't agreed to a new contract with the union.

"We’re at the point where we've done all these escalations, we've done our, you know, vigil, our picket, to really show to them and to show our community we have a lot of community support," Kittelson said.

Right now, Kittelson says nurses are working with up to eight patients each shift, when they should be caring for no more than six each. 

Spinney said it’s a similar situation in the neonatal unit.

"We take care of the tiniest babies in Austin. They're the most fragile and delicate. We take care of infants that are as small as a can of Coke. Honestly, they weigh less than a pound," Spinney said.

She said when ratios are higher, that trickles down to patient care.

"When we are taking care of more patients than we should be working in unsafe conditions, lacking support staff, that really puts us at risk for our license. But it really puts the patient at risk," Spinney said.

Nurses also gathered in April, marching through the rain to try and make a point, yet again, to Ascension Seton’s board.

When it comes to staffing, union representatives say there is no shortage of nurses.

They cite from comparisons of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing that in 2022, there were more than 1 million nurses with active licenses who were not employed as RNs or working in hospitals.

These nurses say any lack of help isn’t due to a shortage of nurses but rather people leaving the industry due to conditions.

"It really is a safety issue, and people are just not willing to do that anymore. We're not willing to work in these conditions any longer, and they're seeking employment in other professions, honestly," Spinney said.

KVUE reached out to representatives for Ascension Seton. In a statement, a spokesperson had this to say:

"Our highest priority remains the safety and well-being of the patients, associates and communities we are privileged to serve. Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin recently received another Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade of A, which has been sustained for the last four years, demonstrating the organization’s culture of safety and performance through policies, procedures and staff support. This rating also included a best possible score for support of the nursing workforce as measured against national standards. 

"As health care systems across the U.S. continue to experience nursing shortages, we have a robust workforce development program focused on recruiting and retaining nurses through our residency and fellowship program, our nurse scholarship program and partnerships with more than 40 schools of nursing, as well as community partnerships. 

"We continue to negotiate in good faith to reach a mutually beneficial agreement with the nurses of Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin. Our goal is to support all of our associates in a just and equitable manner as we continue to provide safe, compassionate care to those we are privileged to serve."

The nurses' union also raised concerns about cleanliness in the workplace and security measures, citing workplace violence from both patients and internally.

To help, the nurses fill out objection forms, a common accountability practice in hospitals and for unions.

The forms allow each nurse to share their concerns with an assignment, and a copy goes to both their hospital managers as well as union leaders.

"Thousands, hundreds of assignments that show that we're serious about patient care," Kittelson said. “We write these for a reason, because it is unsafe. You know, we're put in unsafe staffing situations, ratios. It really enables us to highlight how many patients we have on the floor.”

But both Spinney and Kittelson said many of these forms have gone unanswered, and some managers have allegedly told the nurses they throw them away.

Spinney, who has been at the negotiation table for the last 10 meetings with the board, said the nurses' patience is running out.

"We’ve talked to everybody in the hospital, all the nurses, and there are a large, large majority of us ready to take the next step, which would be to vote to strike because we need to make these changes and we need to make them happen," Spinney said.

That is exactly what's happened. The nurses in the union had been voting on the strike authorization for a couple of days, and they will now choose a date for strike and give Ascension's board 10 days to respond.

Ford Sanders on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram  

KVUE on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Good health, less hassle with A Trusted Nurse Practitioner

A Trusted Nurse Practitioner provides personal primary care including annual wellness visits, sick visits and chronic disease management. They offer telehealth, online scheduling and a patient portal. Whether you are enjoying optimal health, caring for chronic medical conditions, or seeking answers, Renea is here to help.

Formerly, Renea practiced as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) at Ascension Sacred Heart in Gulf Breeze with Dr. Westafer, Dr. Osban and Dr. Wray. Renea wanted to branch out and make her own practice to create a personal atmosphere where she can ensure each patient is treated with personal care.

“I wanted to create a place where people could access care in a way that was relieving anxiety, not provoking anxiety,” she said.

People also don’t have to wait three months to see their doctor. Renea is ready and available to help. She is currently accepting new patients and looks forward to getting to know her patients and understanding their needs.

Renea believes her patients are more than just a number or statistic. They are people who need her care.

Their medical office is covered by CIGNA, Medicare, Tricare Select and TriCare for Life. If you have Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Aetna or another company, you can check your policy to determine coverage.

A majority of Renea’s patients are self-pay because she keeps her visits affordable.

“Some people choose to pay because they just want high quality,” she said. “They understand that their insurance is for catastrophic events.”“If you’re a patient that we’re out of network for, that doesn’t mean that we can’t write you a prescription that your insurance will pay for,” said Renea’s office manager Sarah Echelle, NCMA (Nationally Certified Medical Assistant).

If someone’s insurance is not in network, do not let that be the reason you don’t give Renea a try. Labs, scans and medication will all still be covered by insurance. Just the office visit will be out of pocket. An office visit to A Trusted Nurse Practitioner is reasonable and ranges from $75 to $150. Her care and relaxing atmosphere are worth it.

“I take the time to listen and explain. We provide care that is convenient, comfortable, and of the highest quality,” she said.

A visit to the Trusted Nurse Practitioner office is relaxed, friendly and easy-going. It’s like discussing your medical needs with a friend who has medical expertise.Renea graduated in 2006 with her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. She went on to get her Master of Science degree in advanced practice, specializing in family practice. Her 10 plus years of experience allows her to give her patients what they need.

She does not rush patients in and out, like some offices. Patients feel listened to and get all their medical questions answered thoroughly.

Renea is passionate about weight loss because a lot of medical issues stem from excessive weight.

“I like to help people lose weight because I like to help people be healthier,” she said. “And through losing weight, I’m able to help people get off things like blood pressure medicine, help resolve issues like pre-diabetes and fatty liver disease. Sometimes joint pain improves a lot with weight loss.”

Renea likes to help people learn heathier lifestyles, lose weight and then possibly not need as many medications. She has helped many people lose weight through nutrition, physical activity, coaching and medication if indicated, and she can help you too.

Renea’s office is open until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays to allow flexibility in scheduling for patients who cannot take time off work to visit their primary care physician.

Renea, a Trused Nurse Practioner, is here to help.

A Trusted Nurse PractitionerRenea Clowdsley, APRN(850) 990-91001101 Gulf Breeze PkwyBuilding 5 Unit 14Gulf Breeze FL 32561

‘Take Care of Maya’ Review: An Infuriating Documentary with No Easy Answers

When Maya Kowalski was 10 years old, the once-vibrant Florida youngster started exhibiting a worrying array of ailments: Her feet began cramping and curling inward, she couldn’t stop coughing, headaches nearly incapacitated her, and lesions appeared on her limbs. Her doting parents, Jack and Beata, were desperate for not even a cure but simply a diagnosis of what was ailing their beloved firstborn. For Beata, a Polish immigrant and nurse known for her direct nature, it was yet another challenge to overcome, another medical mystery to unravel.

What would unfold over the next few years was a nightmare even the always-prepared Beata couldn’t possibly predict, a complicated story with a heartbreaking — and wholly unfinished — conclusion that should terrify everyone. First-time feature filmmaker Henry Roosevelt attempts to unpack what happened to the Kowalskis (and, as the film eventually alleges, what has happened to many other American families) in the documentary “Take Care of Maya,” a wrenching and ultimately incomplete look at an unbelievable true story.

More from IndieWire

If the shades of this story — sick kid, dedicated mom, a family tale with unexpectedly wide implications — sounds familiar, perhaps you’ve already read Dyan Neary’s excellent 2022 article in The Cut or one of Daphne Chen’s pieces from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and know where this story ends. And while Roosevelt doesn’t try to obscure the tragedy that consumes the documentary’s final act, the pains with which the filmmaker goes to unspool his film in a linear fashion, all the better to attempt to find the truth in a complex story, are a wise choice.

Less effective are the various perspectives Roosevelt dips in and out of while telling that story. What happened to Maya and Beata has (and will likely only continue to) inspire all kinds of controversy, with everything from Maya’s eventual diagnosis and the treatment the Kowalskis pursued to the actions of a local hospital and the Pinellas County child-protection team up for debate, but Roosevelt’s film wavers between taking a clear stance on any of the issues at hand.

Story continues

Not that that’s necessary for a documentary — where, typically, objectivity would rule — but Roosevelt attempts to have things both ways, diving deep into the lives of the Kowalskis while also including surveillance footage from Maya’s many hospital stays that seems to slyly refute the family’s own experience. That means it’s up to viewers to draw their own conclusions, but “Take Care of Maya” doesn’t provide nearly enough information to allow for that. What it does provide, however, is heartbreaking and infuriating, a document of a bizarre tragedy that seems destined to never get full closure for anyone involved.

The facts, as slippery as that term may be in this instance, are as follows and are neatly laid out in Roosevelt’s film: After Maya started experiencing her ailments, few doctors could pinpoint a diagnosis until Dr. Anthony Kirkpatrick offered one that came complete with a controversial “cure.” Kirkpatrick alleged that Maya had CRPS (“complex regional pain syndrome”), a rare form of chronic pain that tends to afflict young girls most often and is, much like chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, misunderstood often to the point of derision. To heal Maya, Kirkpatrick started her on a ketamine regime, eventually ending with a dose so intense that it was meant to put her into a five-day coma.

When Maya woke up, she felt better until she didn’t. Months after her coma, Beata and Jack took her to a local hospital for treatment, where the various doctors, nurses, and social workers eventually concluded that Maya was not sick and that meticulous and direct Beata was actually the ailing one, suffering from Munchausen syndrome by proxy (hello, “The Act”). For nearly three months, Maya stayed in the hospital — where her insurance company was, ironically, billed for her CRPS treatment — while her family, especially Beata, were kept away from her and ruthlessly investigated by the state of Florida.

Roosevelt has a wealth of material to work with in telling this story, thanks to Beata’s detailed notes and audio recordings, plus a number of interviews with various talking heads and even deposition material from the eventual lawsuits that are skin-crawling in about five different ways. At times, “Take Care of Maya” feels almost too personal, as Roosevelt follows the Kowalskis during some of their darkest days, burrowing inside a broken family and only being able to show us the pieces.

That sense of a story rendered incomplete, of answers we may never fully know, is at the heart of the Kowalskis’ story, but Roosevelt’s film is unable to square that with the constraints and demands of a feature film. Just as one story comes to a horrible close, others begin to spin outward, none of them able to find any sense of closure or completion, just more pain, no cure.

“Take Care of Maya” premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival. It will start streaming on Netflix on Monday, June 19.

Best of IndieWire

Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.