Montefiore Nurses Petition Against Moses Hospital Bed Reduction

(Email Update November 22, 2024)

On Thursday, Nov. 21, forty nurses marched to Montefiore's executive offices to demand that management reverse plans to reduce beds at Moses Hospital. Armed with a petition signed by 1,500 supporters, the nurses warned that cutting med-surg and step-down beds would worsen overcrowding and compromise patient care. The nurses requested to meet with Dr. Peter Semczuk, the executive overseeing the restructuring. However, he declined to meet them and instead sent a nursing director in his place. 

“This restructuring plan will mean fewer beds, more hallway patients, overcrowded emergency departments, and unsafe conditions,” said Eddie Afful, RN, a Montefiore nurse whose palliative care unit is slated for closure. Afful also criticized the use of hospital space for executive offices instead of patient care. “We demand that Montefiore prioritize patients by increasing beds and reopening closed units for care,” he said.