WORCESTER, Mass. — On day 150 of the strike, nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital said they are getting closer to reaching an agreement, but their concerns over safe staffing must be addressed.

"Those patients are in jeopardy every day,” said Marie Ritacco, co-chair of the Massachusetts Nurses Association and Saint Vincent nurse. “We need to resolve this. These nurses on the line need to get back in the building."

In-person negotiations with Tenet Healthcare ended this week. Nurses said a federal mediator suggested they take the issue to a national mediator in Washington D.C.

"When she presented that option to the hospital, they refused," said Ritacco. "We were very disappointed with that. We think her suggestion was a good one."

But the hospital said the nurses called off Tuesday's negotiations and there's no need for a new mediator.

"​We don't see the point of that," said Carolyn Jackson, president and CEO of Saint Vincent Hospital. "We've been using this mediator for the last nine months. And as I said, we are close to our final positions. So there is no need to bring in a new mediator at this point."

On Monday, the hospital reduced select services and said the facility could no longer care for as many patients with hundreds of nurses still out on the picket line.

"​If the nurses were to call off the strike, we'd certainly be able to reinstate some of the services we closed," said Jackson.

The nurses said the reduction and lack of staffing speaks to the work environment in the hospital.

"There are a lot of other staff members that have decided this is not the best place to work anymore," said Ritacco.

The hospital has been continuously hiring permanent replacement nurses. Jackson said when the strike does come to an end, striking nurses will still have the option of working at the hospital but it may be in a different position.