Assembly member sees firsthand, problems related to nursing shortage
Legislative eyes and ears on CDPC

Story and Photos by DARCY WELLS
As chair of the state Mental Health Committee, Assembly Member Peter Rivera is very familiar with the nurse staffing and mandatory overtime issues at mental health facilities across the state.

On January 4, Rivera got an earful from nurses who work at the Capital District Psychiatric Center (CDPC) in Albany, but what he heard went beyond concerns about double shifts.

Nurses gave one example after another of the assaults and injuries directly related to short staffing.

To protect them from retaliation and encourage the nurses to speak more freely, none were asked to give their names.

Speaking freely
“I had a client punch me straight in my face,” one nurse said. “For the first time in my career, I don’t feel safe here.”

“We had an aide who almost had her eye taken out,” another said.

“The injury required nine stitches and, to add insult to injury, the client is still here,” the nurse added.

Rivera was invited on the legislative walk-through at CDPC by PEF Vice President Pat Baker.

“We have tried working with the state Office of Mental Health on mandatory overtime, but we get nowhere,” Baker said.

“We are hopeful, by having Assembly Member Rivera see and hear from the nurses, themselves, something might change.”

Rivera had plenty of specific questions for CDPC management prior to the walk-through including how much it would cost the state for a geographic pay differential currently stuck in civil service, and whether filling all vacancies would eliminate mandatory overtime.

According to OMH and management at CDPC, there will always be some overtime, the difference being, if the hospital is fully staffed, employees are put in control.

“It’s a much more productive system to have nurses sign up for overtime opportunities, rather than being mandated to work a double shift,” Baker said.

“Having a hospital fully staffed gives the control back to the employee and is better for the clients as well.”

Rivera spent about an hour touring the hospital, which included getting a look at a client room and listening in on two workgroups attended by a number of clients.

But it was at the PEF membership meeting at the end of the tour where Rivera heard about violence resulting from staff shortages.

“We’ve had employees suffer broken arms and legs at this facility,” one nurse said.

Legislative promise
Rivera told members he was surprised to learn that clients accused of committing the assaults were either still at the facility or never charged.

“I promise to take a look at this,” Rivera told CDPC staff.

“I’ll start with the district attorney.

I promise to meet with (Albany County) DA David Soares and invite him to come meet with you.”

Last year, Soares participated in PEF’s Stop Workplace Violence press conference in Albany to lend his support to legislation aimed at addressing workplace violence, including calling on district attorneys to fully prosecute assaults and other attacks against mental health employees.

“I think Rivera was responsive to the concerns of staff,” said PEF Division 231 Council Leader John Lichak.

“I think people feel they are starting to be heard, but we want to see him come back and follow up,” Lichak said.

“I like what he said about talking to the DA,” said PEF member Cynthia Reddix, a social worker assistant.

“Short staffing and workplace violence go hand in hand,” she said.

PEF President Kenneth Brynien, who also attended the walk-through and membership meeting, encouraged members to continue working together and keep their council leader informed on workplace violence and staffing issues.

“By having Assembly Member Rivera meet with you, he sees firsthand how passionate you are about these issues and can better convey the concerns over mandatory overtime and the toll it’s taking on staff and clients,” Brynien said.

Baker told members she speaks with Rivera often and promised to remind him to keep their concerns on the front burner.

The Communicator Feb. 2007

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