A local nurse is taking a stand against unsafe nurse-patient ratios at hospitals.
The National Labor Relations Board opened Heather Odell’s complaint and is investigating.
Odell worked for seven years in 5 North/South, a step-down “intermediate” unit at Piedmont Augusta.
She was very concerned in January 2022 when a developmentally delayed, disabled man on a ventilator set at intensive-care-level settings was transferred to 5NS, Odell said.
The floor was understaffed – and Odell spoke up about the patient’s safety. She was told each nurse on the 36-bed floor would have five critical care intermediate patients, including the charge nurse.
“We did not get another nurse, and on Tuesday, I got a text message from HR telling me they wanted to talk to me,” she said.
Odell has never spoken publicly about her claims. She wanted to go public this week in honor of National Nurses Week, which was celebrated at Augusta University Medical Center.
Around the time Odell raised concerns about the nurse-patient ratio in 5NS, a manager crouched behind a wall while she and another nurse spoke about multiple work-related issues, such as stress, anxiety and the risks they face when the hospital is understaffed, Odell said. They talked about the hospital CEO’s $4.1 million salary and attending the upcoming Nurses March in Washington.
On the call with management, Odell was accused of gossiping and helping another nurse write a letter of resignation, sent to then-CEO Jim Davis, which Odell denies.
The letter said the nurse had been left alone with six patients and one patient-care assistant who had been verbally abusive. When she complained to higher-ups, she was told to “get along” and quit causing problems.
During the call, the managers began speaking about disciplining another nurse for refusing an unsafe assignment, Odell said.
To Odell, a manager said “once again, that I care too much and that I keep talking about the things that are going on in 5NS, and that’s what’s getting me into trouble,” she said.
They gave her a warning. Before she had an opportunity to refute the claims, Odell was fired.
Odell’s complaint says Piedmont discriminated against her by disciplining or discharging her in retaliation for, and in order to discourage, protected activities, such as advocating for safer working conditions.
The NLRB investigates unfair labor practices on the part of employers, whether or not their workers belong to a union. It also conducts elections among employees in a collective-bargaining agreement.
A judge has not yet ruled on Odell’s charge. Filers often settle with the employer while the charge is pending, but Odell said she’s unwilling to do that.
Nationwide, nurses have advocated for lower nurse-patient ratios, and Odell said she wants area nurses to organize a march and increase advocacy here.
Registered nurses of the California Nurses Association got the state to pass a bill passed setting mandatory limits on the ratios. For intensive care, post-anesthesia and labor and delivery, it’s 1:2. For step-down units such as Odell’s, it’s 1:3.
Piedmont advertises 5NS as having a 1:4 nurse-patient ratio.
“This staffing crisis was manufactured by the hospital industry,” said Deborah Burger, an RN and president of the nurses union National Nurses United, in a statement.
“Hospital executives claim there is a nursing ‘shortage’ but we know that many nurses have left the bedside because they are unwilling to risk their patients’ lives by being forced to care for them in an unsafe manner.”
A 2021 study by Linda Aiken showed that if New York had the same staffing as California, at least 4,370 lives would have been saved that year, said Rachel Berger, NNU communications specialist.
Demand is such for nurses that Odell was able to immediately return to work at other hospitals, and enjoy down-time during contract nursing assignments, she said.
The former University Hospital, Piedmont Augusta is Augusta’s public hospital. It’s governed by a board of directors that includes some members of the Richmond County Hospital Authority, which leases the property on which Piedmont sits.
A hospital spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment on Odell’s complaint.
A group of retired Piedmont workers has also complained about Piedmont’s treatment. In March, more than 200 filed a lawsuit seeking a guarantee Piedmont would continue to pay for a supplemental Medicaid policy.
