10 California nurses suspended after refusing to treat COVID-19 patients without N95 masks

[left-of-center2012]

Ten nurses have been suspended from their jobs at a Santa Monica, California, hospital after refusing to care for COVID-19 patients without being provided protective N95 face masks.

One of those nurses, Mike Gulick, says the decision was heart-wrenching but after a colleague tested positive for the infection he felt he had to take a stand. According to Gulick, Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica claimed that the masks weren't necessary and didn't provide them to nurses. Last week, a nurse in Gulick's ward tested positive for COVID-19. The next day, doctors doing rounds told the nurses they needed better protective equipment. That was the last straw for Gulick, who told the hospital that he and nine other nurses would not treat COVID-19 patients without an N95 maks. According to the nurses' union, all 10 nurses have been suspended with pay.

The hospital did not comment on the suspended nurses, but said in a statement Tuesday that it was providing N95 masks to all nurses caring for COVID-19 patients. It’s no secret there is a national shortage,” the hospital said in a statement.

The CDC does not require healthcare workers to wear N95 masks while treating patients, but many hospitals have been providing them despite a national shortage because the masks block 95% of airborne particles.

https://www.10news.com/news/national/coronavirus/10-california-nurses-suspended-after-refusing-to-treat-covid-19-patients-without-n95-masks

[Frustratedlady]

1. Good grief, what do they expect? No one is paid enough to take that gamble.

I sure wouldn't want to be a patient in that hospital, let alone an employee.

[harumph]

2. Unsafe workplace conditions. Lack of reasonable precautions.

Hold the hospital administrators responsible. I do not fucking believe for one
minute that if the hospital mucky-mucks really wanted to "find" some additional N95 masks
that they couldn't make it happen. They're making staff reuse masks - which obviously
poses risks.

[Dem2]

3. I wouldn't work without one

What the fuck is wrong with a hospital asking people to endanger their lives needlessly?

[RockCreek]

4. It is horrible clinical care as well.

Infected nurses lead to infected patients.
Any non-COVID+ patient at that hospital who gets it should look into a lawsuit too.

This is the country of enforcement of common sense and decency by lawsuit....

[lettucebe]

5. I'm with the nurses on this one

It is criminal that nurses/doctors/first responders/grocery workers etc etc are being FORCED to work without proper protection.

[tblue37]

6. +1. nt

[bluestarone]

9. AGREE here!

[Hav]

7. Seems to be such a no-brainer

Not only do people want to feel as safe as possible given the circumstances, we also need as many in the health sector to remain healthy as possible. The point behind flattening the curve was to not overburden the system. Protective measures for nurses and doctors should be the most basic step for that. More security for them and less risk of those spreading the disease who are in contact with many other people.

[tavernier]

8. Interesting.

Most states are offering PRN nurses big bucks and travel to come in and work, any hours they want... even retired nurses. I happen to know this first person because my daughter is a nurse in Indiana and I am a retired nurse in Florida and we have both had these offers.

This reminds me of that old bachelor joke about casually tossing girls away. Someday they might be scarce.

[uponit7771]

10. So ... these hospitals can afford to fire nurses?! Somethings wrong with that story

[ProfessorGAC]

14. Worse Yet

They're suspended WITH PAY! So, they're paying them to do nothing and just stay home in the middle of a pandemic.
If they just provided the masks, the cost would be minimal.
Now, they're paying labor costs, getting nothing in return, and are likely backfilling hours with overtime.
The people who run that joint are clearly really bad at the whole business thing.

[KWR65]

11. The LA District Attorney needs to investigate this hospital and administration for attempted murder

and any other crime the criminal gang is committing.

[roamer65]

12. I support the nurses.

[malaise]

13. I agree with them 100%

Bravo nurses - life is the first thing guaranteed. No one has the right to put your lives in danger.

[Horse with no Name]

15. There is absolutely nothing or no one that I respect more

Than the nurses in California.
They have a union that protects them so that they can take stances that protect the nurses across this nation.