SUNY Announces Annual Pay Increase for Stony Brook University Hospital’s 2,034 Teaching and Research Center Registered Nurses
September 24, 2021
$12 Million Increase to Provide Between $2,500 and $9,500 Additional Compensation per Year to Registered Nurses; Licensed Practical Nurses will Receive an Average Increase of $5,000 per Year
Follows Similar Agreement Reached in June for Over 1,600 Teaching and Research Center Nurses at Upstate Medical
Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras announced that SUNY System Administration approved an annual pay increase for the 2,034 Teaching and Research Center registered nurses and the 20 Teaching and Research Center licensed practical nurses at Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH).
The increase is part of SUNY's and Stony Brook University's efforts to offer competitive salaries and increase the retention of SBUH's valued healthcare professionals, and to continue providing patients with the highest level of care. The raise, totaling $12 million, provides between $2,500 and $9,500 in additional compensation per year to each of the 2,034 registered nurses, and provides an average increase of $5,000 per year to licensed practical nurses. Competitive pay adjustments have also been provided to other healthcare groups, including pharmacists, radiologic technologists, laboratory technologists, and respiratory technicians within the past two years.
Today's announcement follows a similar agreement finalized in June that provided raises for over 1,600 teaching and research center nurses at Upstate Medical in Syracuse.
"Stony Brook nurses continue to go above and beyond to care for their patients and teach the next generation of healthcare heroes, and we must in turn do all we can to recognize their efforts," said Chancellor Malatras. "This increase in pay for over 2,000 nurses is yet another reminder of the deep commitment SUNY has for our medical staff, and we will continue to extend our appreciation every chance we get. My sincerest thanks to President McInnis and her team for their partnership in making this happen."
SUNY Board Trustee Cary Staller said, "I am pleased that we are able to further exemplify SUNY's dedication to our healthcare workers by recognizing the hard work of our Stony Brook nurses. This pay increase is merely one example of the praise our nurses deserve while keeping the community safe. They are the backbone of our hospital system, and we truly appreciate all they continue to do."
Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis said, "Nurses at Stony Brook University Hospital have been actively fighting COVID-19, helping alleviate fear and anxiety among both staff and patients while supporting our mission of providing the highest level of healthcare to our community every day. These healthcare heroes well deserve this meaningful recognition of their dedication, compassion, and commitment. This pay increase is just one testament to our gratitude and respect for these workers, whom we all count on for our safety and well-being."
CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan said, "CSEA welcomes and encourages any increases in the pay for these hard-working LPN's who have been at the forefront of the battle against COVID, and deserve much, much more. CSEA will continue to work with SUNY to ensure that all members are recognized for their dedication and continued hard work in the face of this ongoing pandemic."
PEF President Wayne Spence said, "PEF appreciates SUNY rewarding the medical staff at Stony Brook University. While these are not contractually negotiated raises, I advocated for them and have always found Chancellor Malatras to be a willing partner when it comes to taking care of state workers. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it abundantly clear that nurses are everyday heroes. Anything New York can do to fairly compensate and retain these professionals should be applauded."
Chief Executive Officer, Stony Brook University Hospital, Carol A. Gomes, MS, FACHE, CPHQ, said, "I am delighted that we are able to provide this annual pay increase for our nurses. I want to personally thank every member of our nursing staff for their dedication, especially over these past 18 months. At Stony Brook, our nursing staff is known for its excellence and compassion. They are an essential part of our outstanding healthcare team and are the core of care we provide."
Chief Nursing Officer, Stony Brook University Hospital, Carolyn Santora, MS, RN NEA-BC, CSHA, CPHQ, said, "Stony Brook nurses demonstrate their skill, competence, heart, and endurance every day they walk through our front doors. They have stood tall and proud alongside all of our amazing healthcare staff throughout three waves of COVID and continue to give the astounding care for which they are known. It's wonderful that we are able to acknowledge our nurses' dedication to caring for others with this increase in compensation. And, we will continue to seek ways to reward their tireless efforts."
Stony Brook nurses have been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic from the beginning. Stony Brook's four hospitals formed the backbone of the response efforts across Suffolk County, following the first outbreak of cases in February of 2020. Since then, Stony Brook University Hospital has treated nearly 9,000 patients who tested positive for the Coronavirus. In the midst of the worst global pandemic in more than a century, Stony Brook's nurses continue to make significant contributions to providing compassionate care and lifesaving services for COVID-19 patients and non-COVID patients alike.
About Stony Brook Medicine
Stony Brook Medicine integrates and elevates all of Stony Brook University's health-related initiatives: education, research, and patient care. It includes five Health Sciences schools—Dental Medicine, Health Technology and Management, Medicine, Nursing and Social Welfare—as well as Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital, Stony Brook Children's Hospital and more than 200 community-based healthcare settings throughout Suffolk County. To learn more, visit www.stonybrookmedicine.edu.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2022, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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