Have you been paid for all hours you worked? Some employees have reported that their paychecks did not accurately reflect hours worked.  For example: employees were paid for approximately 69 hours instead of 72 hours or were shortchanged on overtime hours. Check your paystubs and make sure this has not happened to you!  If Tarzana has not paid you for all the hours you worked, fill out a payroll correction form and give it to your manager. If the hospital made the error, the hospital is required to pay you the money owed within three business days!

Tarzana AMI Retirement

For employees who worked at Tarzana when it was owned by AMI, your retirement funds are being handled by one of two companies. Call Tenet at (800) 372-4015 to find out which company is handling your retirement money, for information about payout, and to provide them with your current contact information.

ER Steward Sandy Thompson did just that. She confirmed the amount she will receive upon retirement and provided them with her most recent contact information. Don’t forget about this money; you earned it and it is there for you. Take care of this now so it does not become a problem later.

Clinical Ladder

One of our proudest accomplishments during past contract negotiations has been our Clinical Ladder. Over the last two years, a number of employees have climbed the Clinical Ladder, leading to increased education and improved nursing standards.

One great feature of our ladder is that all standards are objective. When we first started, management had a committee which determined Clinical Nurse levels. It was subjective and led to favoritism. We fought for objective standards so that everyone would know exactly what was expected to qualify for each level

121RN Scholarship Awarded

Congratulations to John Gallardo, ER, who won the Tarzana Chapter 121RN $1,000 scholarship in order to further his education. Sandy Thompson, ER steward says: “John is an excellent RN and has worked hard to achieve his BSN. We value his knowledge and skills – not only in the ER, but also on union committees. He currently serves on the Patient Classification Committee.”

Congratulations!

Bargaining Team Elections

December 12, 2012 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. / 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. / 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Cafeteria

Come on your lunch, before or after shift, or on your day off to vote for our new Bargaining Team. This team serves on the front lines when fighting for our next contract in 2013!

CDPH Cites Neighboring Hospital For Title 22 Violations

The California Department of Public Health just filed two deficiency notices against a nearby hospital for poor staffing practices. At the Patient Care Committee meeting this week, we brought this to the attention of management and requested that they work with us to address staffing concerns at Tarzana. Title 22 Rules for Step Down and Telemetry units are outlined below:

Step Down: Per Title 22, Section 70217(a)9, the licensed nurse to patient ratio in a step down unit shall be 1:4 or fewer at all times.  Commencing January 1, 2008, the licensed nurse to patient ratio in a step down unit shall be 1:3 or fewer at all times.  A “step down unit” is defined as a unit which is organized, operated, and maintained to provide for the monitoring and care of patients with moderate or potentially severe physiologic instability requiring technical support but not necessarily artificial life support. Step down patients are those patients who require less care than intensive care, but more than that which is available from medical/surgical care. “Artificial life support” is defined as a system that uses medical technology to aid, support, or replace a vital function of the body that has been seriously damaged. “Technical support” is defined as specialized equipment and/or personnel providing for invasive monitoring, telemetry, or mechanical ventilation, for the immediate amelioration or remediation of severe pathology.

Telemetry: According to Title 22, Section 70217(a)10, the licensed nurse to patient ratio in a telemetry unit shall be 1:5 or fewer at all times.  Commencing January 1, 2008, the licensed nurse to patient ratio in a telemetry unit shall be 1:4 or fewer at all times.  “Telemetry unit” is defined as a unit organized, operated and maintained to provide care for and continuous cardiac monitoring of patients in a stable condition, having or suspected of having a cardiac condition or a disease requiring the electronic monitoring, recording, retrieval and display of cardiac electrical signals. “Telemetry unit” as defined in these regulations does not include fetal monitoring or fetal surveillance.

Providence Retirement Plans Begin Jan. 1

Our new retirement plan starts on January 1, 2013.  There will be three plans: a 401 (a), which is solely a Providence contribution, a 403 (b), a matching plan similar to what we have now, and a 457 (b), which just allows you to invest your funds. For more information go to https://r2rprovidence.org.

New 401 (a) Service Plan

• Qualifications: 1,000 hours worked each year.
• Prior years of service at Tenet will count toward requirements.
• Employees hired after Providence assumed ownership will start at zero years of service.

No employee contribution

0 – 9 Years of service – 3%  Providence contribution

10 – 14 Years of service – 5%  Providence contribution

Over 15 Years of service – 6%  Providence contribution

403 (b) Value Plan

• Replaces our current plan.
• 0 to 4 Years of service at Providence – Providence contribution of 1.5% if you put in 3%
• 5 to 9 Years of service at Providence – Providence contribution of 2.25% if you put in 5%
• 10-plus Years of service at Providence – Providence contribution of 3% if you put in at least 6%
• All employees will be credited with zero years of service unless the employee worked at another Providence facility and contributed to retirement there. Unless you indicate otherwise, Providence will automatically enroll employees with a 3 percent contribution.

457 (b) Plan

If an employee maxes out on the contribution s/he makes to the Value Plan, there is be a 457(b) plan to which contributions can be made on a pre-tax basis.

There are many more specifics regarding retirement to be considered. To learn more about the plans, go to https://R2r.providence.org.