Saint Vincent Hospital Reopens Behavioral Health Beds Pending End Of Nurses Strike
WORCESTER (CBS) -- Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester reopened a dozen in-patient behavioral health beds on Monday. The beds had been closed since August due to staffing issues cause by the lengthy nurses strike.
The nurses union and the hospital's parent company, Tenet Healthcare, have reached a tentative deal with a vote on the agreement scheduled for next week. The current strike is the longest nurses strike in Massachusetts history.
The beds that reopened Monday make up 60% of Saint Vincent Hospital's inpatient psychiatry capacity.
"We owe our behavioral health nurses and mental health counselors a debt of gratitude for serving patients in the Emergency Department over the last several months," said Saint Vincent Chief Executive Officer Carolyn Jackson in a statement. "We know they are looking forward to returning to their home unit, and our patients will benefit from their compassionate care."
The hospital expects to reopen even more beds if the contract is ratified and the striking nurses return to work.