CONSHOHOCKEN >> The union representing 8,300 nurses and allied health professionals in Pennsylvania has announced that it has “demanded and received” the resignation of its executive director Bill Cruice.
The Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals made the announcement on Tuesday — one day after notifying its membership of the action.
The action was taken after a routine audit revealed financial irregularities, according to Patricia Eakin, RN, BSN, CEN, president of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals. Those irregularities she said, included, “unauthorized advances and expenditures.”
A federal filing made by the organization reported $120,687 in vacation and salary overpayments over a three year period. Cruice’s 2017 total compensation was $226,678 — which included $160,870 in salary, with the rest being given in disbursements for official business.
Eakin told Digital First Media that Cruice was initially put on leave, but over the weekend, his resignation was asked for and given.
Eakin and the union’s Board of Directors reported the findings to the U.S. Department of Labor for further investigation. A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Labor said the department does not, “confirm or deny ongoing or prospective investigations.”
Eakin added that the organization is continuing an internal investigation.
“We intend to find out as much detail as we can about what happened,” she said on Tuesday. “We immediately began looking at things we could do to improve our practices and policies and began implementing some of them. We are also doing some reorganization.”
Mark Warshaw has been named interim executive director. He has been the union’s organizing director for more than 10 years, according to a release issued by the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals.
“We have a lot of work we have to do to improve conditions for patients and ourselves. We take it very seriously that we protect our members’ resources. We are working to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again — and move forward,” Eakin said, adding that the issue will not affect day to day operations of the organization.
The Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals represents 2,100 employees at eight hospitals in Montgomery and Delaware counties. In Montgomery County, the hospitals include: Pottstown Hospital, which earlier this month became part of Tower Health; Brook Glen Behavioral Hospital in Fort Washington; Suburban Community Hospital in East Norriton; and Eagleville Hospital in Eagleville. In Delaware County the union represents employees at: Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill; Crozer Chester Medical Center in Chester; Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby; and Fair Acres Geriatric Center in Media.
The nurses at Pottstown Hospital voted in 2016 to join the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals.
“We are certainly disappointed at this development, but the nurses of Pottstown are focused on making sure that we are improving patient care and safety at Tower Health,” said Bernie Moser, Pottstown RN. “We have full faith and confidence in the PASNAP Board of Directors to deal with the situation accordingly, and look forward to building and strengthening our Union.”
The Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals was formed in 2000, according to the organization’s website.
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