Nurses plan strike over swine flu conditions at hospitals
More than 16,000 registered nurses are locked in a contract dispute with officials at 37 Catholic hospitals statewide and plan to strike Oct. 30 out of concern that the hospitals’ lax safety standards put them at risk of catching H1N1 flu.
The California Nurses Assn., which is in bargaining talks with San Francisco-based Catholic Healthcare West hospitals, announced the strike this morning. Local hospitals expected to be affected include California Hospital Medical Center, St. Vincent Medical Center, Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center, St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, Community Hospital of San Bernardino and St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino.
Nurses also plan to picket two Catholic Healthcare West hospitals in Nevada. Nurses have been wrangling with the hospitals over pay, healthcare benefits, and adopting state guidelines for responding to H1N1 flu that were published earlier this year by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. The guidelines include supplying nurses with N95 protective masks and isolating infected patients.
Nurses have been demanding more protection from the H1N1 flu all summer, an association spokesman said, but became increasingly concerned after a nurse died in July. Karen Ann Hays, 51, a cancer nurse at Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Sacramento, died July 17 of a severe respiratory infection, pneumonia and H1N1. Hospital officials could not confirm whether Hays, a triathlete and marathon runner, became ill at work.
The hospital is among those where nurses plan to strike. “We have a global pandemic of swine flu and we need the hospitals to do a better job preparing,” association spokesman Chuck Idelson said. “If the hospitals don’t do a better job, they become incubators.”
A California Healthcare West spokesman did not return phone calls this morning. Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center officials released a statement this morning reassuring patients that they will have enough backup staff to remain open should nurses strike. Hospital officials called the union’s salary and benefit demands “unrealistic.”
“Given the current economic environment and the challenges CHW faces, the CNA’s demands, if agreed to, would add to the ballooning cost of providing care and threaten our ability to meet our community’s needs,” the statement said.
“Catholic Healthcare West is prepared to continue to bargain in good faith with the CNA bargaining team, but needs to do so within a realistic and constructive framework.” Union and hospital officials were meeting this morning in the Bay Area town of Emeryville, Idelson said.
-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske
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I don't get it -- if they are SO concerned about the H1N1 virus, then why do surveys seem to indicate that the majority of nurses don't want to get the H1N1 vaccine??? The first line of defense? The vaccine. NEXT? Demanding a safer work environment. BUT aside from that? Hey sick people are the CORE of this profession. Quit nursing if you don't like that.
Posted by: MariaMLTS | October 19, 2009 at 04:04 PM
Catholic Healthcare West: If their human resources and occupational safety folks were as quick on the draw as their billing dept-- maybe CNA would be happy or at least have recommended masks.
Great trick-- bill seniors before completing billing process with Medicare _ooops illeagle_ Great story about their preemptive medicare bill collectors-- "oh, they are just part of our accounts receivable dept.." Riight, that's why the calls on weekend and threatening letters.
Where does the word "Catholic" figure in these characters' name? Go Providence!
Posted by: thealaskan | October 19, 2009 at 05:13 PM
Catholic-sponsored organizations do a lot of things that are indefensible and seem to feel they're above it all. Maybe the big guy at the Vatican told them it would be OK to ignore basic public health precautions. It leaves them with more money to spend on tacky decorating and altar boy lawsuits.
Posted by: fernie | October 20, 2009 at 05:32 AM
swine flu sucks for real
Posted by: demetrice | October 20, 2009 at 11:06 AM
I work at CHW, they are not following guidelines. Most nurses ARE getting the H1N1 flu shot, when it's available. We've already been taking care of these patients for over a month and have yet to see the vaccine available to us.
The bigger issue is we are not using the correct rooms for our patients (negative pressure) even though we have these rooms available. And even worse, we do run out of the n95 masks (the correct masks) or they do not have them readily available.
Posted by: Nicole | October 21, 2009 at 06:21 AM
The bottom line is: the government isn't going isn't going to order or force us to do anything. We are supposed to have representative government; a government of the people by the people and for the people, and their just powers are derrived from the consent of the governed. WE THE PEOPLE are going to tell THEM what to do. If they fail to carry the will of the people, they are usurpers and are operating outside the bounds and constraints of our Consitutional law.
Posted by: Mike Adkison | October 21, 2009 at 10:40 AM
I work at a CHW facility, actually this is my second. One in southern Cali and one up in Northern Cali. I have deep first hand knowledge of the H1N1 preparations that have taken place at the facilities in Northern California.
First of all, there are not enough Isolation rooms in the region for all the patients. Additional isolation rooms with ante-rooms (and yes of course negative pressure) are a significant captial investment requiring OSHPD approval. Many of the hospitals are working on this, but it takes time, and doesn't happen over night. The next option are portable Hepa filters. Healthcare grade are on backorder....
My facilitiy has had N95 masks on backorder with orders dating back to May. Manufactuers simply aren't making enough to fill demand. The facilities are following all Cal OSHA guidelines reguarding n95 masks, including what to do in a shortage. If anyone disagrees with that statement, I recommend that you actually read the Aerosol Transmissible Disease Standard from CAl OSHA.
Lastly, I really don't understand why CNA needs CAL OSHA's guidelines in thier contract. Don't they know that CAL OSHA is the law, so what ever they say hospitals have to do reguardless.
As far as CHW hospitals following the guidelines related to sick calls, seriouslsy?? I had to take 7 days off work because I had a fever (myself). Just like Cal OSHA requires.
Really, CNA is all about smoke screens and using scare tactics to work everyone up. I don't get free PPO insurance, I don't make $100,000/year, and my wages are frozen.
Really nurses. I don't feel sorry for you.
Posted by: Annie | October 21, 2009 at 12:05 PM
The real reason CNA wants to strike is greed. The union is insisting on pay increases of 24% over the next 5 years while CHW has agreed to 20%. CNA wants to increase dues for their greedy coffers. Watch out, CNA - RNs are getting sick of your nonsense.
Posted by: Registered Nurse in a CHW Hospital | October 21, 2009 at 07:53 PM
Just so you all know, they are using the whole H1N1 in order for everyone to feel sorry for them. There is no shortage of N95 masks, policies have been in place to protect them against H1N1. The reason for all of this is that they want more money. These nurses want a 24% raise, that's 8% per year for the next 3 years. The union are using H1N1 as a scare tactic and using it so the general public feels sorry for them. The funny thing is that they want all this money, but they don't want to be held accountable for their actions. The other thing this union seeks is to force Catholic Healthcare West into making their hospitals in Arizona part of the CNA union without allowing the nurses at the respective facilities to vote. In other words, they want to force those nurses to be part of the union whether they want to or not. So please, don't be fooled by these whiny CNA nurses.
Oh one other thing, the majority of the nurses at my hospital all refuse to take the yearly Influenza vaccine and will also refuse to take the H1N1 vaccine once it becomes available. Also, they know that they need to be fit tested for the N95 mask and they refuse to get fit tested.
Posted by: I'm a nurse | October 22, 2009 at 10:18 AM