Facility cites reduced patient volume
The New York State Nurses Association criticized the Putnam Hospital Center this week after the facility dismissed 11 nurses, including seven the union says were redeployed during the pandemic to treat COVID-19 patients. The hospital cited “diminished patient volumes” for the move.
The nurses, including one who the union said had worked for 30 years at the hospital, were told on April 7 they would be laid off, effective immediately, according to the NYSNA.
Putnam has received at least $12.3 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding. Dr. Mark Hirko, the hospital’s president, said in a statement that it “had no other recourse.”
“The decision to do this is difficult, but we will always look to offer affected employees placement within the Nuvance Health system as best we can accommodate,” he said.
