Area Hospitals See Patient Increase During Nurses Union Strike

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - As hundreds of nurses continue to picket outside of Rhode Island Hospital, other area hospitals saw an increase in the number of patients before specific diversions stopped. þþEarly Wednesday afternoon, Miriam Hospital was experiencing a 20 percent increase in patient volume.þþKent Hospital, Butler Hospital, and Women and Infants also saw an increase in the number of patients they received. These hospitals also faced longer than usual wait times. þþRhode Island Hospital is no longer diverting certain patients.þþRepresentatives say, there are no current plans to meet to negotiate during the strike. The union’s members have been on strike since Monday afternoon, after twice voting down contract offers from Lifespan -- the parent company of Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital.þþThe union represents more than 2,400 nurses and other healthcare workers at Rhode Island and Hasbro Children's Hospitals, and plans to head back to work on Friday.