CINCINNATI — Nurses at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center have authorized their union to ratify a three-year agreement with the hospital, approving wage increases and a commitment to new nurse-to-patient ratios.
The contract, approved Thursday night, includes an average 8.8% wage increase in the first year of the contract, and some nurses will receive salary increases up to 25% over the course of three years.
The contract also requires the medical center to tie incentives to nurse-to-patient ratios. Shannan Holston, Registered Nurses Association member and cardiac nurse, said in a news release the agreement rewards nurses who work extra shifts to achieve the new ratios.
“Through our union, we have always insisted that the hospital follow staffing practices that are best for nurses, patients, and our entire community," Holston said. "The staffing ratios we gained in this contract are a bold new step in that direction. Our patients and families deserve to know they can count on UC for the best possible care, and I am proud of the work I and my fellow union nurses do every day."
The new agreement is retroactive to July 1, 2021 and expires June 30, 2024.
