NYSNA Nurse Reinstated at New York City Health+Hospitals/ Kings County

New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) nurses and allies celebrated this week as a nurse leader who was suspended for engaging in protected union activity was returned to work. Nurse Practitioner Sarah Dowd, RN, walked back into the hospital for her early morning shift and again at noon with the support of several NYC Health+Hospitals(H+H)/ Kings County colleagues, NYSNA nurses from other NYC H+H facilities, and elected officials.  

“NYSNA nurses across H+H stood up to demand management respect our right to organize,” said Dowd. We will enforce our safe staffing ratios and will not be silenced. Any further efforts to silence or intimidate nurses will be addressed with the power of our solidarity. With our rights firmly established, we can get back to the invaluable work of ensuring every patient gets cared for by a nurse with a safe and appropriate workload.”

After NP Dowd was retaliated against and suspended without pay for advocating for safe staffing at NYC Health+Hospitals/ Kings County, NYSNA members and our allies made their voices heard! More than 1,000 people signed a petition demanding that H+H reinstate Dowd. NYSNA held a speak-out at H+H/Kings where members gave powerful testimony about their rights as union nurses to speak to colleagues and advocate for nurse and patient safety. Read more from NYSNA and in the Brooklyn Paper!