A small number of Englewood Hospital and Medical Center nurses were laid off Thursday, far less than the 70 positions the nurses union had said were slated for cuts.

In a statement, Englewood hospital accused the union of exaggerating the scope of the layoffs and said it identified 60 vacant positions and made them available to the impacted nurses.

“As a result, actual reductions amounted to less than 18 bargaining unit RN FTEs (full-time equivalent positions),” the hospital said.

Five nurses were cut through involuntary layoffs, a union spokeswoman told NJ.com. Some took a voluntary layoff with severance pay and others had shifts or assignments changed.

“The Medical Center implemented reductions only where necessary and only in proportion to the decrease in patient census, so that our patients would continue to receive the highest quality of care they deserve and have come to expect,” the hospital said.

Englewood hospital faced “growing hospital industry pressures and changes” and expected challenges to continue in the coming years, according to the statement.

“We are not alone in confronting these challenges. Declining volumes and increases in uncompensated care are affecting most acute care hospitals and this has led recently to a significant increase in layoffs among acute care hospitals nationwide,” the statement said.

In August, the nurses union, Health Professionals and Allied Employees, filed an unfair labor practices charge, claiming the hospital negotiated “in bad faith” and failed to share information about the layoffs.

The National Labor Relations Board would investigate the charge and decide if a complaint was warranted.

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