Nurses picket, fighting for staffing changes

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - Nurses are taking to the streets, as they say they are understaffed and overworked.

Nurses stood outside of the Osceola Regional Hospital for hours on Thursday wanting to be heard and trying to get the attention of the decision makers inside the hospital. These nurses wanted their bosses to know there is a problem.

One nurse says that there is a "staffing issue. We are short staffed." 

These registered nurses are all part of the National Nurse's Organization Committee Union. According to that union, 52% of the registered nurses at the Osceola Regional Hospital have worked there for less than three years. 

One nurse says because of this, "there is not steady patient care." 

There also is not enough nurses to do all the work needed at the hospital.

The nurses say they have proposed a safe staffing grid where we're just saying stick to the grid you presented when you opened this hospital. They believe this change would enable nurses to provide the best patient care possible.