We are relieved today to report that workers at the Grove at Harmony in Jackson Township have reached a tentative contract agreement.

Nursing is a job only a select few are blessed with the patience, compassion and talent to do. We are hopeful that pending a ratification vote tomorrow morning, workers who typically tend to those who reside at the facility can get back to what they do best.

The announcement comes almost a week after going on strike over pay and staffing.

It’s safe to say that most of us know at least one nurse. Stories of the trials they faced at the height of the pandemic alone were as numerous as they were heartbreaking. The things they saw had some leaving the very profession they felt called to undertake.

It’s truly a shame that this situation escalated to the point of a strike, especially considering money is meant to be coming down the line from the state.

We don’t often take the time to think about the kinds of things healthcare staff see and deal with every day. Things they try to leave behind at the workplace when they head home. No matter which sector of healthcare people work in, crisis and tragedy can be, and often are, part of the job.

According to a 2021 Bureau of Labor statistic, 60% of registered nurses work in hospitals — 18% in ambulatory care, 7% in nursing and residential care facilities, 5% in government and 3% in educational services. And that’s only RNs. The amount of overall manpower required in the healthcare field is quite high.

We’d like to thank everyone who has chosen this career path, because we know it can be a thankless job. After a difficult day’s work focusing on patients in their care, it isn’t right that some also have to worry about funds.

They deserve the best working conditions possible, because the work itself can take a very heavy toll. We appreciate the work nurses, nursing assistants and other healthcare professionals do.

Be kind to them, because they are the ones who will be there when you need them the most.

– CM