Sparrow to Close the St. Lawrence Hospital Emergency Department

PECSH/MNA caregivers sound the alarm over patient safety

(Lansing, MI) The following statement should be attributed to Jeff Breslin, RN and President of the Professional Employee Council of Sparrow Hospital (PECSH/MNA), regarding the closure of the St. Lawrence campus Emergency Department:

“This closure is a blow for health and safety in the Lansing area. Sparrow has a legal obligation to negotiate with our union over the planned changes and we have started that process.  We do not believe that Sparrow’s main campus currently has the capacity to safely and swiftly treat the increased patient volume even with the addition of the new urgent care.  Moreover, we are concerned that patients in underserved communities may not be able to travel downtown, or may be pushed to the urgent care where their out of pocket costs will increase.  As professional caregivers, our members are evaluating the full effects of this closure on patients and will likely have more to say about it in the days and weeks to come.”

PECSH/MNA, which represents about 2,500 registered nurses and other health care professionals at Sparrow hospital’s main campus and St. Lawrence facility, is affiliated with the Michigan Nurses Association, the largest labor and professional organization for nurses in the state.

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