Nurses, union urge Oakland County commissioners to halt proposed reassignment of Children’s Village clinic

Oakland County commissioners heard emotional public testimony March 18 from full-time nurses, a union leader and a local elected official who urged the board to oppose an agenda item that would reassign the Children’s Village medical clinic from the Department of Public Service to Health and Human Services.

Those who spoke said the reassignment would require current nurses to reapply for their positions and add a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) requirement for full-time roles, which they said would disqualify experienced registered nurses who hold associate degrees.

"A degree does not replace experience, compassion, and institutional knowledge," said Sean Miller of Springfield Township, who identified himself as an elected official. "If these nurses are good enough to do the job today, why aren't they good enough to do it tomorrow?"

Marvin Vaughn, who identified himself as president of MAIP for the nurses union, told commissioners the process has lacked transparency and that union leadership had not been consulted before the proposal advanced. "Only thing we're asking for is still for this vote today to be voted no," Vaughn said, urging the board to delay action and investigate the reasoning behind the proposed transfer.

Several full-time nurses from Children’s Village described the potential effect on residents who rely on stable, long-term relationships with medical staff. "These kids don't just need medical professionals. They need trusted adults who provide a consistent presence in an environment where consistency is rare," said Malorie Rebecca, a full-time nurse at Children’s Village. Rebecca testified she invested $18,846 and three-plus years in completing her BSN and said practical, on-the-job experience is critical.

Rebecca Buckner, another full-time nurse, said the staff had previously raised clinical concerns that led to an investigation and the dismissal of a former supervisor. "We are the ones who brought these concerns to administration," Buckner said. "We spoke up to protect Oakland County Children's Village... Is this what we get for speaking up to protect the children? Now we lose our jobs."

Nurse Tracy Tuning pointed to an apparent inconsistency: part-time nurses would not be required to hold a BSN under the plan as described, while full‑time staff would, she said. "If this BSN requirement is so important, why are we going to continue to allow our part time nurses to work with an ADN?" she asked.

Speakers asked the board to: grandfather current employees into their roles, apply any new degree requirements only to future hires, meet with union representatives, and provide a clearer rationale for the reassignment. Several said they feared the move amounted to retaliation for having reported concerns to administration.

The agenda for the March 18 meeting included an item to consider the reassignment of Children's Village medical clinic operations; the provided transcript of the meeting contains extended public comment opposing that reassignment but does not record a vote on that specific agenda item.

The public comments concluded before the board moved on to the consent agenda and other committee items. Commissioners did not announce a final vote on the Children’s Village reassignment during the portion of the transcript provided.

Commissioners seeking additional detail will need to consult subsequent meeting minutes or the full meeting record to determine whether the board later voted on the proposal or took direction to staff.

Impact and next steps: Speakers asked commissioners to delay any personnel changes affecting full-time nursing roles until the board receives a fuller explanation, meets with union leadership and considers grandfathering existing staff into continued employment.