The Indiana Regional Medical Center in Indiana Borough is currently in contract negotiations with its nurses and they're saying that the hospital is not addressing staffing issues properly.

For hours on Tuesday, dozens of nurses and their supporters walked the picket line outside of Indiana Regional Medical Center, protesting both the current staffing situation at this facility, and, as they say, the failure of the hospital to address future staffing needs in their currently ongoing contract negotiations with the nurse's union.

Emily Frey, a Registered Nurse at the hospital, said that for better quality care of patients, they need to increase their staffing numbers from around 270 to around 400 nurses.

"They are trying to use the money they do have to kind of pull us in all different directions," said Frey. "Which, I know for me and my ICU crew, we get pulled to other floors a lot to help them because they are so short staffed. And we tell them this is going to help you bring in nurses, this is what's going to help with the ratios, and they don't want to hear it and they don't want to bring it into the negotiation."

In a statement given to KDKA by IRMC, they said in part:

"The health and safety of all IRMC patients, visitors, and staff is our highest priority. In the negotiations, we have been discussing the concerns of IRMC nurses, and we recognize their right to voice those concerns through an informational picket."

Indiana County Commissioner, Democrat, Sherene Hess, who was on hand at Tuesday's protest, said that IRMC management must directly address these safe staffing issues in their current negotiations, so that the hospital can best serve this community.

"This is an escalating situation," said Commissioner Hess. "We know that better patient care is an outcome of safer staffing levels. So, we are encouraging them all to just keep talking, keep discussing in good faith and I support that wholly."

You can read the full statement from Indiana Regional Medical Center below. 

"We are aware the union representing nurses at IRMC is holding an "informational picket" outside the medical center today (Tuesday, April 1). It is important to note that this is not a strike. IRMC will continue to remain open for patient care during this time, and all medical center operations will continue as usual without interruption. The health and safety of all IRMC patients, visitors, and staff is our highest priority. In the negotiations, we have been discussing the concerns of IRMC nurses, and we recognize their right to voice those concerns through an informational picket. While the informational picketing is occurring, we will ensure patient access and care are not disrupted.

IRMC values the dedicated and committed nurses who care for our community, which is demonstrated through our competitive compensation and benefits, as well as our recognition programs and opportunities for career advancement. IRMC has continued to bargain in good faith with the nurses' union and has held 22 negotiating sessions over the past year, including the most recent session held Friday, March 28.

We are committed to working together with the union to reach a fair and reasonable agreement that positions our medical center and health care providers to succeed today and into the future."