'Don't have the resources that they need': Hospital purposely understaffs to save money, nurse says

    BALTIMORE (WBAL) -- Baltimore nurses called for change on Friday outside Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital, saying the hospital has chronic understaffing.

Melissa Larue, a registered nurse in the hospital's intensive care unit, said they are short staffed on purpose to save money.

"They overload nurses with patients at unsafe ratios," Larue said. "They haven't given us wage increases in over two years. We're just tired and fed up of how we're treated here."

The protesters also said there are no nurses to staff the operating room overnight.

National Nurses United says more than 60 nurses have left since January — about 10% of the total nursing staff.

"It's frustrating," said Robin Buckner, a registered nurse at Saint Agnes. "I don't personally take care of the patients. I provide vascular access for the patients. But I do see the nurses every day with their struggles when they are trying to take care of (the) very sick, and they don't have the resources that they need."

Saint Agnes issued a statement, saying:

"Saint Agnes remains committed to productive, good faith negotiations with National Nurses United for an initial contract for our registered nurses. We believe differences are best resolved at the bargaining table, rather than through public demonstrations, and look forward to continuing the work of reaching a tentative agreement on a mutually-beneficial contract that supports all."