Changes needed at OMH
CDPC nurses burned out, fed up, planning action

By DARCY WELLS
Two nurses were assaulted in early November at the Capital District Psychiatric Center (CDPC) in Albany.
Both required treatment at a local hospital emergency room.

The patient accused in the attack was arrested and faces charges.

It’s a scenario being played out all too often in an environment where low staffing levels have put mandated overtime at an all-time high and morale at rock bottom.

Short staffing crisis
“Minimum staffing increases the risk for accidents, errors and injuries to patients and staff,” said PEF Division 231 Council Leader John Lichak. “We have 11.5 vacancies right now.

Management has decreased the minimum staffing levels on units from four to three in an attempt to deal with the shortage, but it comes with a price.

OMH the focus
Recognizing the nursing shortage is a nationwide problem, PEF Vice President Pat Baker points to the Office of Mental Health as the main hurdle blocking the path to a positive resolution in New York.

“PEF, with the help of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), conducted a nurses’ survey one year ago and respondents overwhelmingly listed the Office of Mental Health as the state agency with the worst working conditions for nurses,” Baker said.

“PEF has been working with OMH since 1990 to address these concerns. We’ve held meetings, made recommendations and formed partnerships between labor and management, but nothing has changed,” Baker said.

The recommendations
Among the recommendations PEF has advocated is eliminating mandatory overtime, helping with tuition costs and offering higher salaries to attract qualified nurses who will stay.

“Being a nurse at CDPC, for example, has to be as attractive as being a nurse at nearby Albany Medical Center or St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany,” said Region 8 Coordinator Tom Comanzo.

“It already requires a special person to want to care for psychiatric patients,” he said. “And if working conditions are unbearable due to mandatory overtime, the pool of qualified nurses is further depleted.”

Adding insult to injury
Things have not improved, according to Baker, and they’ve gotten worse.

“OMH is contributing to the shortage at CDPC by being creative with civil service titles,” Baker said.

“Nurses are assigned supervisory and management responsibilities which take them off the floor and contribute to the shortage.

“These nurses should be on the floor nursing. That’s where they’re needed, not in management roles.

“It hurts the nurses who are left picking up the slack through mandated overtime,” she said.

Hopeful for change
“The state of New York has a responsibility to provide quality services to its citizens,” Comanzo added.

“We are optimistic that with the change in the administration there might finally be a light at the end of the tunnel.

“It’s essential agencies are managed by those who know how the agencies need to operate,” he said.

Nurses at CDPC have been holding member meetings and discussing how to raise awareness of the crisis. A press conference, rally and legislative walk-through are among the actions being considered.

“Whatever is decided,” Lichak said, “something has to be done. Our nurses and their patients are at risk.”

“I challenge OMH to help resolve this crisis in the nursing industry here in New York state, “ Baker added.

“OMH is doing a disservice to the patients. The state is failing to meet health care needs and the nursing shortage is the reason why.”

The Communicator Dec.06/Jan.07

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Clarification: A photo caption in the November issue of The Communicator should have said PEF Vice President Pat Baker and Regional Coordinators Dee Dodson, Vernetta Chesimard and Jemma Marie-Hanson coordinated the PEF Sept. 11 memorial service in New York City.