Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and a union representing about 4,000 registered nurses reached a tentative deal late Wednesday, averting an indefinite strike.

"We are pleased that Brigham and Women's Hospital has reached a tentative agreement with the Massachusetts Nurses Association and the MNA has called off its scheduled indefinite strike," the hospital said in a statement.

The hospital said the tentative agreement is subject to ratification by nurses in the bargaining unit.

"We deeply value our Brigham nurses and believe this agreement recognizes their important contributions while supporting the long-term sustainability of our hospital and our ability to care for our patients and communities," the statement continued. "We are also grateful to the nursing leaders, clinicians and staff across Mass General Brigham who worked tirelessly to ensure we were prepared to provide safe, high-quality care under any circumstance."

The nurses previously said they are seeking a fair contract that will protect patient care, strengthen the workforce and provide competitive wages.

Among the nurses' proposals were limiting the hospital's use of temporary nurses, fair compensation including a cost-of-living increase and affordable health insurance with plan choice.

The Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), which represents the nurses, said some progress was made during off-the-record bargaining on Monday but the two sides failed to reach a resolution at thte time.

"We are ready to resume negotiations any time before [Nov.] 12 to reach an agreement to avert the strike," Kelly Morgan, a BWH labor and delivery nurse and chair of the MNA, said in a statement earlier this week. "[Mass General Brigham] is aware of [what] they need to do to reach an agreement. We hope MGB will return to the table to negotiate in good faith and meet the needs of nurses and patients. As always, we are united for safe patient care and a fair contract."

The hospital said it was offering increased base wages for all nurses, including a 2.5% raise each year for nurses at the top of all pay scales; no increase in the health insurance premium contribution percentage for current nurses; and increasing its annual professional development reimbursement fund to $1 million.

In July, BWH nurses held a one-day strike. BWH prevented the nurses from returning to work for four additional days, saying that temporary nurses were contracted for five days of work, according to local ABC News affiliate WCVB.

Since then, the nurses say the hospital has refused to "meaningfully negotiate." MNA said the hospital told nurses in August it was not willing to negotiate unless significant changes were made to the latest proposal.

In September, the unionized nurses voted "overwhelmingly" to authorize an open-ended strike. MNA said at the time this would be the largest open-ended registered nurse strike in state history.

Last month, nurses also voted to reject what the hospital described as its "last, best, and final" contract offer.

BWH said the agreement on Thursday is "within the financial limits of the hospital's last, best and final offer presented on Oct. 10."

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