North Hawaii Residents Deserve the Same Standard of Care as Oahu
Jason Chang, CEO Queens Medical Center
Nurses at Queen's North Hawai'i Community Hospital (QNHCH) have been trying to negotiate a new contract since mid-December of 2024. They have been attempting to address the inequities between them and Queen's Medical Center (QMC) on O'ahu including patient safety concerns with safe nurse-to-patient ratios as well as equal pay and benefits. Safe nurse-to-patient ratios would mean that every patient can get the quality care they need from their nurse, and nurses can provide that care without feeling intense stress and burnout.
In negotiations, Queen's executives/ QNHCH have stalled and failed to engage in any conversations regarding safe nurse-to-patient ratios. Residents on Hawai'i Island deserve the same level of care, safety and resources as those on O'ahu.
Please use this form to sign our petition to Queen’s executives, asking them to prioritize patient health by negotiating a fair contract with nurses that includes safe nurse-to-patient ratios and raises that to help retain and recruit quality nurses for our community!
Sponsored by
To:
Jason Chang, CEO Queens Medical Center
From:
[Your Name]
I am in support of North Hawai’i Community Hospital nurses, fighting so residents of North Hawai’i receive the same standard of care, with safe staffing as residents on Oahu.
Nurses at Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu won safe nurse-to-patient ratios in their recent contract and overall receive better pay and benefits for the same work they do. It is appalling to learn that the Queen’s Health System continues to delay the same necessary standards for the community in North Hawai’i. This community does not deserve less because it is on an outer island. Patients on Hawai’i Island, deserve the same quality of care.
Unsafe staffing occurs when there are too few qualified nurses on a shift to adequately address the needs of each patient they care for. Studies have shown that unsafe staffing hurts patient care, leading to worse healthcare outcomes, including longer hospital stays and even death.
North Hawai’i Community Hospital is currently Queen’s only hospital on Hawai’i Island and the only hospital in the Waimea area. They are the only level 3 Trauma Center on the island. The hospital also cares for the Northern half population of the island, including visitors, children, pregnant and laboring mothers, and newborn babies.
As a community member, I support the nurses and expect the hospital administration to be responsible for ensuring that adequate Nurse staffing is budgeted and resourced to promote the best outcomes for all those needing care.