8 nurses sue Massachusetts hospital, claiming retaliation for complaining about work conditions
WORCESTER - Eight nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester have filed a lawsuit, claiming the hospital retaliated against them for complaining about work conditions.
The nurses filed the lawsuit under the Massachusetts Healthcare Whistleblower Protection Act. They claim they were given unpaid time off and lost their jobs after they reported unsafe conditions for patients and staff.
The lawsuit and statements from the nurses' union also outline repeated violations of their contract, which came after a historic strike. Nurses went on strike for 10 months, the longest nurses' strike in state history, before the new contract was ratified in January 2022.
"We're not able to care for the number of patients they are giving us," said Marlena Pellegrino of the Massachusetts Nurses Association. "And they are not hiring enough travelers to cover, they just continue to disregard our contract."
Union representatives said patients are suffering under the current conditions and that when nurses are overwhelmed, there are more falls, untreated wounds and medication errors.
WBZ TV reached out to Saint Vincent Hospital for comment about the lawsuit but did not hear back.
