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Nursing home staff pickets for better conditions

Republican Herald - 5/26/2021

May 26—POTTSVILLE — Staff of The Gardens at York Terrace picketed outside the nursing home and rehabilitation facility Tuesday for better working conditions.

Chris Sloat, LPN and organizer of the demonstration, said it was part of a coordinated informational picket taking place at over 60 nursing homes in the state by members of the Service Employees International Union.

"It's coordinated bargaining for staffing ratio changes, better wages, affordable health care and hazard pay," Sloat said.

Sloat said staffing ratio improvements are a priority for which they are seeking legislative change. At many nursing homes, Sloat said the staff to resident ratio is 1-to-23, with 2.7 hours of care per resident.

"We're looking for 4.1 hours per resident, which would be a dramatic change," Sloat said.

The current ratio is based on all licensed employees at a facility, including both licensed nurse practitioners and certified nursing assistants.

Theresa Lazinsky, CNA, said there should be separate ratios for LPNs and CNAs.

"Lumping them together causes us to be short staffed," Lazinsky said.

Lazinsky said a skilled facility like York Terrace serves a wider range of patients than nursing homes would have in the past when the ratios were established.

"It's more time consuming," Lazinsky said.

Sloat said increasing the number of staff members at a facility would reduce the work for each staff member and increase the individual care for each resident.

"The staff deserves so much more, especially after COVID," Sloat said. "They work short staffed and overtime, but they love their residents."

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