A group of 60 advanced practitioners has voted to join hundreds of nurses at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in forming a union.

The advanced practitioners — including certified registered nurse practitioners, neonatal nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives and other positions — voted to join SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, following about 800 nurses at the Oakland hospital who had taken a similar vote last month.

This marks the first time the health care giant has seen advanced practitioners unionize, according to SEIU.

The unit does not include certified registered nurse anesthetists, directors, managers or supervisors, according to the National Labor Relations Board.

“The election is the latest in a nationwide wave of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals unionizing to have more time with their patients and a seat at the decision-making table,” SEIU said.

A UPMC spokesperson said the health care giant “appreciates the respectful dialogue that preceded this vote and looks forward to continuing to work with some advanced practice providers and nurses at UPMC Magee.”

The vote count has yet to be certified by the labor board, the UPMC spokesperson said.

Advanced practitioners voted 35-24 in favor of forming a union, according to SEIU.

The larger pool of nurses at the hospital had voted to unionize by a margin of 402-305.

It was not immediately clear whether the advanced practitioners would operate as a standalone unit or be wrapped into the larger union with nurses at the hospital.

“We stand here united and proud to announce that we have come together to effect meaningful positive change for our community,” Lucy Rose, a certified registered nurse practitioner in the neonatal intensive care unit, said in a statement. “We look forward to working with the UPMC Magee administration and insurance executives to find common ground.”

The unionizing Magee workers have called for better staff-to-patient ratios, higher pay and more transparency from UPMC.

Information previously provided by UPMC indicated nursing turnover at Magee is 4.8%, compared to 16.7% at unionized hospitals within their system. The national average is around 16%.

According to UPMC, entry-level nurses can earn over $50 per hour within four years.

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