Dramatic Settlement Sets National Model for H1N1 Hospital Safety Measures

OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- In a dramatic settlement seen as a
novel pattern for the nation, the nation's largest nurses union and
professional association, and one of the country's biggest hospital systems
today announced a landmark agreement that sets a national standard on
containing the spread of pandemics such as H1N1 "swine flu."

"With this historic agreement, we are charting a new course for limiting the
spread of not only swine flu but all other dangerous pandemics that are yet to
come," said Rose Ann DeMoro, CNA/NNOC executive director. "We are pleased that
Catholic Healthcare West is joining with us to set the highest possible
hospital safeguards for patients and nurses and creating an innovative model
that every hospital in America should follow."

The settlement involves 13,000 registered nurses in 32 CHW facilities in
California and Nevada who are represented by CNA/NNOC.

Historic first - emergency pandemic task force to protect patients and public

A centerpiece of the agreement is the creation of a new system-wide emergency
task force, comprised of CNA/NNOC RNs and hospital representatives following
the declaration of pandemic emergencies.

The task force will monitor system-wide preparedness and set uniform standards
on full implementation of federal, state and local guidelines, availability of
the property safety protective equipment, communication and training policies
for all hospital personnel, and other needed steps, such as consideration of
off-site emergency triage and treatment.

At each facility, CNA/NNOC nurse committees, in cooperation with facility
infection control teams, will implement the system-wide policies and
procedures.

Other features of the pact:
-- Employer agreement at each facility to comply with all federal, state
and local laws and regulations, such as those set by the Centers for
Disease Control and California Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, to limit the spread of communicable diseases, like
proper isolation of patients with H1N1 symptoms. Including the
guidelines in the CNA/NNOC contracts gives them the added force of
contract law.
-- Assurance that RNs "shall be provided" appropriate equipment and
attire
to stem contagion, such as single-use, N95 respirator masks when
available.

-- Guarantee that the employer will provide information and training for
nurses on communicable diseases to which they may have been exposed.

The settlement, also averted a strike that had been called for October 30.

"This is a huge breakthrough that should go a long way to making our hospitals
safer and better prepared for containing the spread of H1N1 and stop the
unnecessary exposure of fragile patients, their family members, or nurses and
other staff to the virus," said Carol Koelle, RN at St. Bernardine Medical
Center in San Bernardino.

"Catholic Healthcare West nurses have stood together to protect our
communities and our patients," said Allen Fitzpatrick, RN at St. Mary's
Medical Center in San Francisco.

"We can proudly expect the best possible standards to limit contagion and
protect our members as well," said Kathy Dennis, RN at Mercy General Hospital
in Sacramento.

"We are proud to have achieved an agreement that will strengthen our ability
to provide safe care for our patients," said Portia Fiesta, RN at St. Rose
Dominican in Las Vegas.

In calling the terms a national model, CNA/NNOC repeated that it continues to
hear from nurses at other hospitals across the nation of serious lags in
hospital readiness in such major areas as isolating contagious patients,
distribution of N-95 masks, re-use of the masks, informing staff when they
have been potentially exposed, and training everyone on the best policies and
procedures.

"Now that the President has declared a national emergency on swine flu, it is
more important than ever that we have uniform, consistent safety policies in
every hospital to protect the public," said CNA/NNOC's Catholic Facilities
Division Director Jill Furillo, RN. "There should be no more excuses for any
hospital to fail to follow this model."

CNA/NNOC represents 86,000 registered nurses in all 50 states, and is working
toward unification with the Massachusetts Nurses Association and United
American Nurses to build a new 150,000 member national nurses organization.

SOURCE California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee

Shum Preston, +1-510-273-2276, Liz Jacobs, RN, +1-510-273-2232 or Charles
Idelson, +1-510-273-2246, all for CNA/NNOC