We are seeing spikes in COVID-19 cases both locally and across the nation, and because of the increase in cases, there's also an increase in hospitalizations.
Monday, healthcare workers and nurses at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center came out to picket, calling on the hospital to increase staffing levels and provide better access to PPE.
Hospital staff on the picket lines today argue that, due to the increased capacity at the hospitals, overall staffing levels have drastically decreased. As for PPE, some nurses mentioned they are using the same n95 masks they received in the spring.
“They don't follow any of our contract and are pushing us to unsafe staffing ratios, and taking away all of the support that we have,” said Catherine Dawson, a critical care nurse for Saint Mary’s. "Prime health care, being a for profit company, has always been clearly motivated by outcomes or patient care or supporting their staff." Saint Mary’s is part of the “Prime Healthcare” for profit hospital system.
The number of those hospitalized for COVID19 here in Washoe County is the highest it's been since August, and is on an upward trend, putting a strain on the already overworked hospital staff.
"They plan on implementing crisis staffing care models, but they have no plans on canceling elective surgeries and procedures. They are very clearly just concerned about just how much money they can make and very unconcerned with the quality of care the nurses can provide," said Dawson.
Saint Mary's sent 2 News a statement about today’s events saying quote “Informational picketing is planned for outside our hospital on November 9, 2020 by the California Nurses Association (CNA), the union representing nurses employed at our hospital. This is not a strike, and our hospital is fully staffed to serve all patients and visitors.
Saint Mary’s is committed to protecting the safety of patients, providers and the community and remains in close contact with the Washoe County Health District (WCHD) and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure proper precautions are followed. Saint Mary’s PPE practices exceed recommendations provided by CDC guidelines in this current pandemic.
Saint Mary’s is also continuing to staff appropriately to patient acuity and following the CNA contract terms. We have the ability to call in extra staffing when challenged with staffing needs.
Patient care remains our number one priority and our goal is to continue working together as a united team to ensure Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center remains the best place for quality and compassionate care and a great place to work.”
It is important to note that today's picketing was actually set up by National Nurses United, a separate picket was held for the CWA union that represents the technical and service employees at Saint Mary's was held on Friday November 6th.
The staffing needs are what these nurses say is the most important part, as they say many patients are not receiving the care they should.
"If we don't even have safe ratios how can we even leave the floor to take a break? To go to the bathroom? That sounds funny and a cliché, but that's very true. It's emotional because we're trying our best and it's still not enough,” said Chrystine Revelli, a nurse at Saint Mary’s. "We want Saint Mary's to do everything they can to bring staff in, and right now we don’t see that, we haven’t been seeing that."
Nurses out picketing said they will continue the fight for more staff and PPE while providing the best care they can to each and every patient with the limited resources, but ask the public to join their fight and let Saint Mary’s know that they can quote "do better than the minimum."
