Nurses and technical staff at Chestnut Hill Hospital announced in a statement issued on Tuesday that they have voted to unionize, joining the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP). Voting in favor of the move were 92% of the hospital's 90 technical specialists along with 73% of the 211 nurses.

The decision comes after failed talks between staff and hospital management about increased staffing levels, the statement said. The hospital was acquired by Temple Health on January 1 of this year. 

Intensive Care Unit nurse Jim Smith, a leader in the union effort, said the move is motivated by a desire to ensure patient safety through adequate staffing. Fellow nurse Kadena Smith-Fleming echoed these concerns, saying "We don’t have enough staff to care for our patients the way they need and deserve... Nurses are overworked and burned out."

The Chestnut Hill staff join more than 3,000 other Temple caregivers represented by PASNAP, including those at Temple Main, Jeanes Hospital, outpatient clinics, and Fox Chase Cancer Center.

According to the statement, the successful November contract renegotiation between Temple Main nurses and management was a catalyst for the Chestnut Hill effort. The agreements put enforceable nurse staffing levels in place to improve recruitment and retention, the statement said, and Chestnut Hill nurses and technical staff now seek to leverage collective bargaining power to advocate for themselves and patients.

PASNAP President Clair Smith said of the outcome, "It's clear Chestnut Hill caregivers believe that by unionizing they will have a greater voice to address issues like safe staffing levels that impact patient care."