Nurses returning to work after strike at Chicago hospital

CHICAGO - Nurses at University of Chicago Medical Center are returning to work after holding a strike following what they called a breakdown of contract negotiations between their union and the hospital.

The one-day walkout took place last Friday, but hospital officials had told the nurses to stay away until Wednesday because temporary nurses were contracted. The hospital's President Sharon O'Keefe says in a statement that "clinical teams, including our nursing leaders, are focused exclusively on helping the Medical Center rapidly return to full operations."

Negotiations are scheduled to resume Sept. 30.

The 618-bed hospital prepared for the walkout by the about 2,200 nurses by diverting ambulances and moving patients.

The nurses have been without a contract since April. They're seeking lower nurse-to-patient ratios and say they're being forced to work overtime.