Nurses Picketing Lower Bucks Hospital Monday

BRISTOL TOWNSHIP, PA —Nurses are preparing to hold an informational picket outside Lower Bucks Hospital on Monday to protest what they say are staff shortages.

Workers with the union Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, or PASNAP, allege that Lower Bucks owner Prime Healthcare has allowed the hospital to reach "unsafe conditions in which there are not enough registered nurses to meet staffing guidelines," the Bucks County Courier Times reported.

The protest is set for 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Monday outside the Bath Road hospital.

Lower Bucks Hospital spokeswoman Michelle Aliprantis said the informational picketing will be conducted at Lower Bucks Hospital by the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP).

During the informational picket, the hospital will remain open, and all services will continue for the community, she said.

"Lower Bucks Hospital follows safe staffing laws, and we continuously support our caregivers, emphasizing safety and a healthy work environment, as evidenced by the hospitals receiving the 2023 Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence award," said Aliprantis, regional director of marketing and communications for Roxborough, Suburban, and Lower Bucks hospitals.

She said the hospital offers growth opportunities and programs such as continuing education, tuition reimbursement, career development and advancement, and a robust employee assistance program to support health and wellness.

Aliprantis said the hospital has been negotiating with PASNAP since early September for a new collective bargaining agreement. Meetings are scheduled with the Union again in the near future, she said.

"We’re hopeful we can come to an agreement soon to continue providing excellent care to our patients without interruption,"Aliprantis added. "Unfortunately, rather than focus on bargaining a fair contract for our nurses, the Union has chosen to picket. While we are disappointed that the union has elected to move forward with picketing, we respect their right to do so as part of the negotiation process. We value all our employees and their dedication to caring for our community, and we look forward to reaching an agreement that benefits our employees and all those we serve."