RNs say: We cannot allow Tenet to hold the future of our hospital hostage.

Registered nurses at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, Calif., are calling on the Desert Healthcare District Board to use all available means to pressure Tenet Healthcare to release financial information that would allow the board to solicit offers from other potential operators who could take over management of the hospital. The nurses will outline their concerns and demands at a public hearing on Tuesday, April 30, announced California Nurses Association (CNA) today.

“We cannot allow Tenet to hold the future of our hospital hostage,” said Caroline Nganga, a registered nurse at Desert Regional. “We are calling on the district board to explore all options available to pressure Tenet to release the financial information that would allow other potential operators to bring counter proposals to the table. As nurses, we never give up on our patients, and we demand that the district board not give up finding a solution that best addresses the needs of our community.”

Who: RNs at Desert Regional Medical Center
What: Public hearing
When: Tuesday, April 30, 6 pm
Where: 75080 Frank Sinatra Dr., Palm Springs (building B auditorium)

Nurses are deeply concerned that, in November, the public will be asked to vote on a proposed sale to Tenet and are being presented with a false choice which suggests that either Tenet be allowed to buy the hospital or the hospital will close. But nurses understand that Desert Regional is a very profitable hospital that would be attractive to other operators who could take over management while leaving the hospital as a public asset.

“Tenet has made millions of dollars in profit during their tenure at Desert Regional,” said Lori Ruggiero, RN in the intensive care unit. “We need an operator who is committed to addressing the chronic short-staffing and fixing the broken equipment and other issues at our hospital. We need an operator who will work with us and respect the need for transparency and cooperation. Our patients deserve better!”

Desert Regional Medical Center is a public hospital governed by the Desert Healthcare District and currently leased to Tenet Healthcare until 2027. In Sept. 2023, Tenet proposed a deal to renew its lease and buy the hospital. Since then, nurses have continued to demand that the Desert District Board hold Tenet accountable and pursue other potential operators.

CNA represents more than 900 registered nurses at Desert Regional Medical Center.

California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and nearly 225,000 RNs nationwide.