UI Health’s outstanding nurses are a key factor in our reputation for high-quality care. Our approach to nurse staffing is a patient-centered model that aligns the nursing skills of our staff with the complexity of patient care needs. This approach aligns with Illinois law — the Nurse Staffing by Patient Acuity Act — as well as recommendations from the largest national nursing organizations, the American Nurses Association and the American Organization of Nurse Leaders.

• Message to Medical Staff from Chief Medical Officer on Staffing
• Message to Nursing Staff from Chief Nursing Officer on Staffing

Nurses at UI Health are among the highest compensated in Chicago, statewide and across the United States. On average, UI Health nurses earn more than $20,000 a year more in just base hourly compensation than their counterparts.

Throughout our negotiations, UI Health has offered an extensive list of contract improvements to enhance working conditions for our nursing colleagues. We are listening to our nurses and their suggestions for improving a number of important staffing and operational issues. A summary of UI Health Contract Improvement Offers, as of Sept. 11, 2020, is below.

UI Health and the INA began negotiations on June 9, 2020 and have been meeting weekly to discuss a new contract. A summary of proposals related to key issues is below, updated as of September 8, 2020. Negotiations are ongoing and proposals may change.