Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx laid off 12 nurses on Sunday, replacing them with AI-powered software.
The move has sparked outrage from the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA).
Marilyn Shuler, a utilization review nurse with 39 years of experience, expressed her dismay.
"I’ve always, always taken so much pride in the organization that I’ve worked for all these years, and just to be treated this way," she said.
The National Nurses United (NNU), NYSNA's parent union, highlighted the potential dangers of AI in healthcare.
Shuler's case is among the first layoffs directly linked to AI, raising alarms among nursing professionals.
Union Leaders Condemn Layoffs as Contract Violation
Jamie Brown, president of NNU, stated that nurses have been fighting hospital employers' efforts to force unregulated and untested AI into patient care settings.
She emphasized the ongoing struggle against cost-cutting measures that compromise patient care.
These layoffs follow a major nurses strike across New York City hospitals in January 2026.
That strike led to new union contracts designed to protect nurses from AI-related job losses.
Shaiju Kalathil, a fellow nurse and union executive committee member, criticized the layoffs as a breach of that contract.
"We are outraged about these layoffs because these dedicated nurses are being replaced by AI," Kalathil said.
