STANFORD, Calif-- The Committee for Recognition of Nursing Achievement (CRONA), the union representing nurses at Stanford Hospital and Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, voted today to accept a two-year contract extension with the hospitals. The new agreement takes effect April 1, 2002, and will impact the 1,700 nurses represented by CRONA at the two hospitals.

"Our nurses are exceptional caregivers, and we are extremely pleased to have reached an agreement that reflects the high-quality service they deliver every day," said Lynn Boland, director of Employee and Labor Relations for Stanford Hospital and Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. "This new contract will allow our hospitals to continue to focus on providing the best possible patient care."

CRONA President Sue Weinstein said, "We have some of the best nurses anywhere in the country, and we are pleased to have reached an agreement that acknowledges the quality of their service and allows us to continue to recruit top nurses. In today's health care environment, we can be especially proud of our ability to reach a fair agreement."

Boland said the agreement "deservedly maintains our nurses as among the best paid in the Bay Area, without jeopardizing the long-term stability of the hospitals."

Under the new contract, the nurses will receive a 6 percent salary increase beginning April 1, 2002, and an additional 6 percent increase the following year. The new agreement expires March 31, 2004.