Accusations made
Nurses Association says doctor’s accusations are “beyond absurd”
Albany Med CEO, nurse group trade barbs over intimidation allegation./
In the aftermath of last week’s nurses’ strike, Albany Medical Center’s director claimed in a Youtube video Friday that a New York State Nurses Association billboard truck has been following his 10-year-old son’s bus to school as a way to intimidate him.
Dr. Dennis Mckenna, the hospital’s president and CEO, said he is sure of his son’s account because several other children told their parents about the
truck that had followed their bus to school. One parent called the truck company to ask what was going on.
“They told her, that yes, they were hired by NYSNA to follow my son’s bus to school,” Mckenna said in the four-minute video. “NYSNA, do you have no shame?”
NYSNA Executive Director Pat Kane acknowledged that the union had hired a truck featuring Mckenna’s headshot and phone number to drive around the Capital Region to “let the public know that Albany Medical Center refuses to protect our nurses,” but denied the allegation the truck targeted Mckenna’s boy.
“Let me be clear: the New York
State Nurses Association would never follow, harass or intimidate families or children, period — those accusations are beyond absurd. We spend our lives caring for the community, and it’s insulting that Dr. Mckenna would even say that,” he said.
Nurses participated in a 24-hour strike Tuesday amid a stalemate with the hospital’s administration over their labor contract and concerns the hospital is not doing enough to protect nurses and patients from coronavirus.
Unlike some hospitals which test all
patients coming through the door for coronavirus, Albany Med currently only tests symptomatic patients and patients coming in for anesthesia-based procedures.
NYSNA has been demanding the hospital provide staff with proper protective equipment, to discuss health coverage for their families, and to improve working conditions. Nurses said they are forced to reuse masks and coronavirus patients are not cohorted away from NON-COVID-19 patients and staff. They also claim that short-staffing has fueled burnout and turnover for years — a situation only compounded by the pandemic.
“These frontline heroes are being treated as expendable by Albany Med — it’s not right and it’s not fair,” Kane said. “Dr. McKenna should stop making up issues, stop deflecting and start fixing the fact that his hospital is not following proper protocols and putting people at risk.”
The video, in which Mckenna also thanked the nurses who worked during the walkout for their bravery and welcomed back returning strikers, had more than 9,000 views by Saturday evening and many comments reflecting both sides of the issue.