ST. LOUIS — A group of registered nurses was loud and proud Wednesday outside of St. Louis University Hospital with signs in hand to bring attention to what they say is a “staffing crisis."
From serving as a medical surgical nurse to eventually working in the intensive care unit, Sarah DeWilde remembers a world where things were stressful but manageable in her field.
“In nursing, I just celebrated 10 years in May, and I've been here in St. Louis for six of those years and at SLUH the whole time,” DeWilde said.
For the last six years, DeWilde and many of her colleagues told 5 On Your Side they felt like they have struggled to serve their patients effectively because of low staffing levels and the hospital’s inability to keep staff.
“Before you would see maybe one or two travelers hired on your unit. Most of the staff would be people who were loyal to the hospital and knew the ins and outs of everything,” DeWilde said.
She noted that other positions like secretaries, tech staff, and lab workers had also been scarce.
On May 11, SLUH and the National Nurses Organizing Committee began negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.
According to NNOC, the vacancy rate for RN positions has been more than 30 percent since the spring of 2022.
SLUH nurses say they have been sounding the alarm for nearly two years and making suggestions to management about improving retention, with little progress.
"Since 2020, SLUH has hired more than 1,600 nurses, but those nurses have not stayed."
We asked the hospital for data but they provided a statement instead.
Nurses cited “unsafe working conditions, and more violence among patients and their families” because of the staffing shortages.
DeWilde further noted the administration had not been much help.
“You should do more and I'm going to give you less people but you should still get the job done,” she said.
DeWilde and her colleagues took their voices to the streets to gain support for their own ideas to keep staff.
“Community we need you to help us tell SLU to help these nurses. Give them what they need so they can take care of us,” she said.
Hospital spokesperson Anne Luckey provided the following statement:
"SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital is committed to providing safe, compassionate, high-quality care for our patients and the community. We are grateful for the unwavering dedication of our entire SLUH team to our Mission and those we serve. On May 11, SLUH and the National Nurses Organizing Committee began negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. Today, the NNOC is holding an informational picket in front of the SLUH campus as part of their negotiation plan. Patient safety is our top priority, and we remain undeterred in our Mission to always provide exceptional health care services to our patients."
National Nurses Organizing Committee has represented the nurses at St. Louis University Hospital since 2012.
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