INGLEWOOD, Calif., Dec. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Award-winning Centinela Hospital Medical Center is pleased to announce today a precedent-setting labor agreement with the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United.

More than 500 registered nurses represented by CNA/NNU overwhelmingly approved the three-year agreement that most notably includes a first in the nation needlestick and workplace violence insurance benefit funded by the employer.

"Centinela Hospital Medical Center is ranked in the top 5 percent of hospitals nationwide in great part because of its nurses and physicians," said Linda Bradley, Chief Executive Officer of Centinela Hospital Medical Center. "This shows the commitment Centinela Hospital and its nurses have for the community and its long-term healthcare needs."

The new contract includes patient care protections such as an improved floating policy that assures only critical care trained RNs will take care of critical care patients and preceptor pay to improve training and retention of new nurses. This agreement also preserves the cost and quality of healthcare benefits and includes salary increases during the term of the contract.

"Centinela Hospital, the largest hospital within the Prime Healthcare family, has truly been transformed," said Prem Reddy, MD, FACC, FCCP, chairman, president and CEO of Prime Healthcare Services, which owns Centinela. "Prime Healthcare acquired the nearly bankrupt hospital and turned it into a Top 100 Hospital in less than five years. Prime Healthcare looks forward to providing essential healthcare to the residents of Inglewood and the south Los Angeles area, which has been hard hit by the difficult economic times our nation is facing."

In 2012, Centinela Hospital Medical Center was ranked as a "Top 100 Hospital in the Nation" by Thomson Reuters, based on its quality of healthcare. Four other Prime Healthcare hospitals were ranked among the Top 100. Another Prime Healthcare hospital, Alvarado Hospital in San Diego, recently agreed to a deal with the California Nurses Association.

"As Prime Healthcare has stated repeatedly, we are willing to reach agreement with unions that bargain in good faith," said Mike Sarian, president of operations for Prime Healthcare Services. "Unlike SEIU-UHW, the California Nurses Association's primary goal during negotiations was to get a fair deal for its nurses. If SEIU cared about a fair deal for its members, we would already have an agreement in place by now."

In the new CNA/NNU deal, the safety benefit is an employer-paid enhanced accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance policy which includes benefits in the event of felonious assault, exposure to disease, such as hepatitis or HIV. All active full-time registered nurses, first-year graduate nurses or nurse practitioners working a minimum of 15 hours per week are covered. Bereavement and trauma counseling, psychological therapy, travel assistance is also part of the covered benefits, in addition to payment for injuries and/or accidents that occur to a nurse while working.

Centinela Hospital Medical Center
Since 1950, Centinela Hospital Medical Center has been serving the communities of Inglewood and Los Angeles. Centinela Hospital Medical Center is a 369-bed acute care hospital offering comprehensive, quality healthcare in a convenient, compassionate and cost effective manner. The hospital offers a 24/7 emergency department, orthopedic care, advanced cardiac services, peripheral artery disease treatment, OB/GYN services and a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). All services are provided in a caring and healing conducive environment. It is actively involved in improving the health of the community with programs designed to meet the needs of those that it serves. For more information, visit www.centinelamed.com.

Prime Healthcare Services
Ontario, CA-based Prime Healthcare Services (www.primehealthcare.com), with a motto of "Saving Hospitals, Saving Jobs and Saving Lives," is one of the largest hospital companies in the nation.

Prime Healthcare was recognized as one of the "15 Top Health Systems in the Nation" in 2012 by Thomson Reuters, based on quality of healthcare and patient satisfaction. It was also recognized as a top health system in 2009. Five Prime Healthcare hospitals were ranked among the "100 Top Hospitals in the Nation" in 2012 by Thomson Reuters. Eight Prime Healthcare hospitals earned national recognition as "Top Performer on Key Quality Measures," (Top 18 percent), in 2012 from The Joint Commission, the leading Medicare accreditation organization in the country.

Through their subsidiaries, Prime Healthcare Services and the non-profit Prime Healthcare Foundation have more than 15,000 employees and own and operate 20 acute-care hospitals: Alvarado Hospital Medical Center, Centinela Hospital Medical Center, Chino Valley Medical Center, Desert Valley Hospital, Encino Hospital Medical Center, Garden Grove Hospital Medical Center, Huntington Beach Hospital, La Palma Intercommunity Hospital, Montclair Hospital Medical Center, Paradise Valley Hospital, San Dimas Community Hospital, Shasta Regional Medical Center, Sherman Oaks Hospital and West Anaheim Medical Center – in California, Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center – in Nevada, Lower Bucks Hospital and Roxborough Memorial Hospital – in Pennsylvania, Dallas Medical Center, Harlingen Medical Center and Pampa Regional Medical Center – in Texas.

SOURCE Prime Healthcare Services