EAST LIVERPOOL Hospital braces for possible strike by nurses as bargaining goes on

EAST LIVERPOOL -- East Liverpool City Hospital is bracing for a possible nurses strike that could come as early as Sunday morning.
The hospital said Friday that the Ohio Nurses Association, which represents 178 registered nurses at the hospital, issued a strike notice to the hospital earlier this month.
The nurses' three-year contract expires Sunday.
Talks continue in an effort to reach a settlement and avoid a strike, Tina Smith, hospital spokeswoman, said Friday.
Smith did not elaborate on the issues separating the two sides.
Should a strike occur, the hospital's emergency room will remain open. It will treat and release patients, or stabilize more serious cases until they can be transferred to another facility.
Nurse managers will staff the emergency room, Smith said.
As of Thursday morning, the hospital stopped admitting patients. Earlier in the week, it ceased conducting elective surgeries.