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AI Replaces Nurses: Montefiore Lays Off 12
13 Jul
Summary
- Twelve nurses with decades of experience were laid off.
- Nurses were replaced by AI-powered software, sparking outrage.
- Union claims layoffs violate a new contract won by striking nurses.
Marilyn Shuler, a utilization review nurse at Montefiore hospital in the Bronx, New York City, was among 12 nurses laid off on Sunday. After working for 39 years, Shuler and her colleagues were replaced by AI-powered software, a move that has drawn significant criticism from the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA).
The union, which represents nurses at the hospital, stated that the layoffs are disrespectful and disheartening. This incident is considered one of the first AI-related layoffs the union has handled, prompting National Nurses United (NNU) to intensify its advocacy for AI protections.
NNU has developed an AI bill of rights and is pushing for legislative and contractual safeguards against the unregulated use of AI in patient care. The layoffs at Montefiore occurred shortly after a major nurses' strike in January 2026, which resulted in new contract provisions aimed at preventing such scenarios.
Union executive committee member Shaiju Kalathil expressed outrage, calling the layoffs a violation of the contract secured through the strike. Montefiore hospital commented that technology changes are being used in nonclinical programs involving paperwork and that claims by NYSNA are inaccurate and misleading, emphasizing their investment in new technology for patient care betterment.
