2 hours ago
Marilyn Shuler has worked arsenic a utilization reappraisal caregiver for 39 years astatine Montefiore infirmary successful nan Bronx successful New York City, helping to publication diligent charts and pass pinch security companies complete coverage.
After astir 4 decades successful her job, Shuler is 1 of 12 nurses who was laid disconnected Sunday aft being replaced pinch AI-powered software, according to nan New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), which represents nurses astatine nan hospital.
“I’ve always, ever taken truthful overmuch pridefulness successful nan statement that I’ve worked for each these years, and conscionable to beryllium treated this way,” Shuler said. “It’s disrespectful, and it’s very disheartening, and my colleagues consciousness nan aforesaid measurement arsenic well.”
National Nurses United (NNU), nan genitor national of NYSNA, has been raising nan siren astir nan effects AI will person connected nurses. Shuler’s lawsuit would beryllium 1 of nan first AI-related layoffs handled by nan union.
The national developed an AI bill of rights for patients and nurses, has been pushing for protections and guardrails successful contracts and done legislation, and protested against employers utilizing untested AI successful diligent attraction settings.
“NNU nurses, for illustration nan nurses astatine Montefiore, person been connected nan frontlines of fighting infirmary employers’ efforts to unit unregulated and untested AI into diligent attraction settings,” said Jamie Brown, a registered caregiver and president of NNU. “Nurses cognize from acquisition that infirmary employers will find immoderate opportunity to trim costs and trim corners connected diligent attraction and caregiver staffing.”
The layoffs astatine Montefiore travel successful nan aftermath of a monolithic nurses strike crossed respective hospitals successful New York City successful January 2026. The caller national contracts written aft nan strikes included safeguards against AI.
But Shaiju Kalathil, a chap caregiver astatine Montefiore and a national executive committee member, said nan layoffs break this caller contract.
“We are outraged astir these layoffs because these dedicated nurses are being replaced by AI,” said Kalathil successful a statement. “This is simply a usurpation of nan statement that we precocious won by going connected strike. It should besides interest each practitioner and diligent who cares astir nan early of healthcare and nan value of attraction they receive.”
Shuler said that erstwhile she and her co-workers returned to activity successful February aft nan strike, their workflow had changed without explanation.
After notifying nan union, they sent an email to guidance astir nan changes. Shuler said they received nary consequence until 28 May, erstwhile each 12 nurses successful her section received 45-day notices that they would beryllium laid off.
“We were shocked and decidedly disappointed because we many times asked for transparency,” Shuler said.
Shuler said her occupation often requires analyzable communications, complete things for illustration medicine changes and discharge planning, that would beryllium difficult to behaviour pinch AI.
“AI should beryllium a instrumentality utilized successful conjunction pinch nan objective expert, not to replace,” she said. “We’re not against technology. There are respective advances successful healthcare utilizing technology. The rumor is pinch caller tech without evidence.”
Montefiore infirmary did not remark specifically connected nan layoffs but said its exertion changes are being utilized successful a nonclinical programme involving paperwork.
“As is often nan case, nan claims by NYSNA are inaccurate and misleading,” said Joe Solmonese, elder vice-president for authorities relations and strategical communications astatine Montefiore, successful an email. “What is existent is that we are ever investing successful caller exertion to guarantee nan champion attraction and outcomes for our patients and will proceed to do truthful for nan betterment of nan group we serve.”
