November 19, 2024 9:20 a.m.

Nurses and community supporters are holding an informational picket and public rally outside CHI Mercy Medical Center on Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

A release from the Oregon Nurses Association said their organization represents more than 350 frontline registered nurses at Mercy, who care for more than 112,000 people living in Douglas County and the surrounding region.

ONA claims the nurses are fighting for a fair contract to resolve the hospital’s staffing crisis and improve their community’s health and safety. Nurses have expressed concern about staffing issues at Mercy. ONA said the hospital’s inability to recruit and retain nurses has led to staffing levels that fail to meet the standards in Oregon’s Safe Nurse Staffing Law.

Mercy currently has approximately 75 unfilled nursing positions, according to ONA. The group claims that nurses at Mercy make 20 percent less than nurses at other comparable Oregon hospitals.

Community members are invited to attend the informational picket and hear directly from local nurses, ask questions, and share concerns and stories about their own healthcare experiences at the hospital.

The event will be held on public sidewalks outside Mercy Medical Center in the 2700 block of Northwest Stewart Parkway.