Region 9 RNs get pay boost
By SHERRY HALBROOK Many PEF Region 9 nurses are in line for a pay boost thanks to geographic differentials announced last month by the state. The state Division of Classification and Compensation, with the approval of the Division of Budget (DOB) authorizes the differentials for specific jobs and locations where the state’s pay levels are too low to compete in the labor market. “While not all health care titles in Region 9 will receive these salary differentials,” said PEF President Roger Benson, “it’s a significant victory for all PEF members in the Mid-Hudson area as the state is beginning to recognize the current salaries for many PEF titles are not competitive with private industry.” The new differentials affect PEF members in specific health care job titles in Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Sullivan Counties. All nurse 1s, 2s and 3s, nurse administrator 1s and 2s, community mental health nurses and infection control nurses, nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants in those counties will receive a differential of $12,871 in addition to their regular salaries. This replaces the previous differentials for these titles which ranged from $1,520 to $7,000 depending on the title and county. Higher differentials to boost the hiring rates for these titles were also authorized. For nurse 1s in all four of the affected counties, that rate is now $5,641. For nurse 2s, nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants it is $4,363. And, for the first time, the state is boosting its hiring rate in all four counties for nurse 3s, nurse administrators, community mental health nurses and infection control nurses. That new differential is $3,471 for the nurse 3s and administrators, and $3,651 for the community mental health nurses and infection control nurses. Region 9 worked for it Benson said the uncompetitive pay for these titles in the mid-Hudson region have aggravated the problems of short-staffing and mandatory overtime for state nurses there. He commended “the members of the Region 9 Nurses Committee for their hard work, mobilization and effective lobbying of their area legislators to get the state Division of Budget to approve these salary differentials.” With the leadership of Region 9 Coordinator Neila Cardus and the five co-chairs of the Region 9 Nurses Committee — Barbara Weber, Peggy Fleming, Joan Shaw, Coleen Schepis and Renee Schuler — the nurses have put a tremendous effort into documenting the need for these differentials, meeting more than 40 times in the past two years. In 2002, they issued a report titled “Crisis in State Operated Health Care Services in the Mid-Hudson Valley,” which they presented to the governor along with signatures of 10,000 nurses and other members and supporters. In their open letter to Gov. Pataki which is part of the comprehensive 30-page report, the nurses state, “It is heartbreaking to see our quality of care deteriorating and to see how demoralized our nurses and other professionals have become. Many of our agencies and facilities are operating at extremely short-staffed conditions. They are attempting to provide quality nursing services at 50 percent to 75 percent of their required RN fill levels. They are unable to recruit or retain registered nurses.” Region 9 members also sent 8,000 postcards to the governor and legislators in 2003 and expects to soon send out another 8,000. State must do more Cardus said the new, higher differentials are a “terrific first step in addressing the health care crisis in those four counties. We hope similar differentials will soon follow for our nurses and other health care professionals in the Taconic region and other counties.” It’s also critically important, she said, for the state DOB to waive the hiring and promotion freeze for state agencies to fill these vacancies and relieve the short staffing.” Benson agreed, saying, “Our work is not done, but a significant success has been achieved.” |
Nurses’ fast response saves corrections officer’s life PEF nurses Michelle Keeley and Gary Lewinski rushed to save state corrections officer Tim Joy’s life when he suffered a massive heart attack early in the morning of March 2 at Groveland Correctional Facility in Sonyea. They arrived just two minutes after receiving the call that Joy was in need of immediate medical attention. Corrections officers Walter Jezewski and Sluka were the first to reach Joy and immediately began to give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions,” Keeley said. “When we arrived, officer Joy was unconscious, not breathing, and did not have a pulse, so, we quickly set up the defibrillator,” Keeley said. Joy’s son, Scott Joy, who is also a corrections officer at Groveland, watched anxiously as his co-workers struggled to save his father. The AED (automated external defibrillator) had to shock Joy’s heart six times to get it beating again as he went in and out of consciousness before the ambulance and paramedics arrived. “Every second counted and in this situation everyone involved responded immediately,” Lewinski said. “Clear communication was key in saving this man’s life.” The AED had been available just a year at Groveland. Prior to this incident, it had already saved an inmate’s life. Without the AED and the quick response of those involved, Joy’s chances would have been very poor, the nurses said. Happily, Joy responded to their efforts, has been discharged from the hospital and is now recuperating at home. “This experience has taught me not to sweat the small stuff,” Joy said. “It feels great to have a second chance at life.” — Rachel Cahill |
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