Registered nurses at KPC Health’s three Orange County facilities, Anaheim Global, Chapman Global, and South Coast Global hospitals, have ratified a new three-year contract which includes new infectious disease and workplace violence protections, announced California Nurses Association (CNA) today.

“This past year has been so challenging for nurses and this new infectious disease language is critically important to help protect nurses and our patients in the future,” said Karen Rodriguez, a registered nurse at South Coast Global Hospital. “This new contract will help to recruit and retain nurses and result in improved patient care for our patients and our community.”

Highlights of the contract include:

• Infectious disease control provisions, including a commitment to meet with the nurses within 48 hours in case of an infectious disease outbreak in an effort to determine best practices. KPC Health agreed to provide testing and contact tracing in case of an infectious disease outbreak, and a committed to maintaining a three-month stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE). KPC Health has also agreed that management will not discipline nurses who refuse an assignment due to lack of PPE.
• Patient safety gains, including improved staffing and metal detectors in high-risk areas at Anaheim Global Hospital.
• Economic gains to help retain and recruit experienced nurses. The contract contains annual across-the-board and step increases and unifies the wages at all three hospitals. Average increase is 6 percent in the first year, 11.5 percent over the life of the contract.

CNA represents more than 400 nurses at Anaheim Global, Chapman Global, and South Coast Global. Nurses voted overwhelmingly to ratify the contract on May 20, 2021.

The 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 more than 170,000 RNs nationwide.