NEW YORK NURSE: December 2007
by Mark Genovese
To the surprise of many, Greenville Hospital is still open today. Scheduled to be closed in mid-November, the Jersey City facility was given an unexpected reprieve on Nov. 1 by the New Jersey State Health Planning Board.
Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy told the board during a hearing that he would commit $1.5 million to keep the hospital open for another six months. Although board members accepted the offer, they said that if the city could not actually raise the money in 90 days, they would again consider closing the hospital. Greenville’s corporate parent, Liberty Health Systems, sought to shut down the hospital because of its $3-million deficit. Liberty Health also claims its other facility, Jersey City Medical Center, offers many of the same services.
More than 600 representatives from local labor, community, government, and healthcare organizations – including NYSNA – came to the two regional hearings to support keeping the hospital open. Although the hospital is very small, more than 70% of its patients are on some form of charity care, said Darlene Coccaro, NYSNA nursing representative. “It will be more difficult for patients to have access to emergency care and same-day surgery. The three miles to Jersey City Medical Center is a long way when you have no transportation.” Local residents said the daily traffic and cutbacks in public transportation could make the difference between life and death.
With the imminent closing of Greenville, NYSNA has been working to protect the contractual rights of the 80 RNs it has represented there since April 2003. “Greenville nurses could work elsewhere, but they want to serve the people in this area,” Coccaro said. “They’ve been loyal to the hospital for a reason. So they’ve understandably been upset.”
Coccaro and NYSNA Labor Representative Ilyssa DeCasperis met with Liberty Health to clarify the severance packages the RNs were eventually offered. This package is on hold, now that the hospital is remaining open for the short-term. NYSNA staff has also been working with the RNs to help them prepare to find work elsewhere in the network or at other area hospitals.
NYSNA is ensuring that the hospital stays current with its required contributions to the RNs’ pension, and that seniority lists, which are crucial for determining levels of benefits, are accurate.
With NYSNA’s encouragement, Liberty Health is offering counseling, job fairs, and help in writing resumes and applications. The New Jersey Department of Labor sent a response team from its Dislocated Workers Unit to inform employees about unemployment benefits, job training programs, and job-search assistance.
Liberty Health CEO Stephen Kirby has noted that, even if the hospital survives, it will no longer be an acute-care facility. There has been discussion about converting Greenville to psychiatric and detoxification services. Under New Jersey state law, its emergency room must stay open for one year.