Nurses reach tentative deal with Providence Medical Center-Everett

Nurses are back on the job in Everett at Providence Medical Center, but issues remain before a new contract will be signed.

For months, the nurses union at Providence Regional Medical Center have been unable to get a contract with the hospital while they push for better pay and staffing.

More on Providence nurses: Staff fights for better rights after more than 600 quit in last 18 months

In November, nurses went on a 5-day strike. During the week, there were demonstrations outside the hospital. Nurses also held a vigil in an effort to call attention to patient safety.

Besides pay, nurses say they are worried about severe understaffing.

“No. 1 (is) patient safety. So we are working together with Providence to get a contract that prioritizes patient safety over everything,” Labor and Delivery Nurse Kristen Crowder told KIRO Newsradio. “We want patients to come to the hospital to get the care they need, get the time that they need with their nurses so that they can have education, how to learn blood checks, or monitoring blood pressure, whatever needs to happen. That’s ultimately what we’re fighting for is for the patients to get the care that they need.”

Hospital CEO Kristy Carrington released a statement that read they welcomed their “valued nurses back to work” with a “seamless transition.”

Hospital officials said they were fully staffed during the labor dispute and said patients’ needs were met.

Now, a tentative deal has been reached. The new contract provides pay raises of 21.5% over three years and a bonus for working in a unit with low staffing.

Nurses wiil vote on the agreement Dec. 15.