Meriter patient says ‘care has gone downhill’ amid ongoing nurse strike | News

The Brief:

• The 23rd round of negotiations between UnityPoint-Health Meriter and SEIU Wisconsin took place Thursday.

• Concerns from nurses include safety, staffing, and pay, with claims that the hospital’s contract offers are insufficient.

• An anonymous patient source reported declining care quality since the strike began, despite the hospital’s assurances.

MADISON, Wis. — UnityPoint-Health Meriter and the union representing the nurses, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), resumed negotiations Thursday.

Thursday marked the 23rd round of talks; the nurses and SEIU Wisconsin have been meeting with the hospital since January. They claim the hospital’s contract offers don’t go far enough to address concerns around safety, staffing and pay.

The hospital is staying open and operational during the strike. Travel nurses were brought in over the weekend. However, according to an anonymous source, care has been going ‘downhill’ since Meriter nurses went on strike. News 3 Now was able to confirm that the source has been a patient of the hospital since Friday. 

“I have been consistently late for my medications, IVs are not getting flushed in appropriate amounts of time, mistakes have been made when it comes to administering certain medications,” the source said. “I have constantly had to advocate for my care.”

Meriter said it contracted hundreds of travel nurses but declined to give specific numbers saying they are ‘able to safely provide patient care with the amount contracted.’ Also stating that the travel nurses have been trained and prepared.

In an email to News 3 Now, a hospital spokesperson said they are not aware of any patient complaints at this time and denied claims that operations are not running smoothly. 

“We are operating smoothly across all areas of the hospital, our leaders and patient experience representatives are doing additional rounding and patient check-ins, and our leadership team meets regularly each day to continually assess patient care standards,” a hospital spokesperson wrote.

However, the source said the experience of patients in Meriter has not reflected that. 

“I think that’s what is upsetting me the most is they are saying that everything is [fine]. It’s the same level of care, everything is the same, everything’s going on, but it’s not, that’s not what’s happening here,” the source said. “We want our nurses back like point blank period. They are they are what keeps Meriter running.”

Pat Raes, a Meriter nurse of 35 years and the president of SEIU Wisconsin said the striking nurses had no other choice but to strike after negotiations dragged on for months. 

“It’s management’s job to provide staffing and it is our job to provide the care,” she said. “We are fighting for the future.”

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