Registered nurses at MarinHealth Medical Center in Greenbrae, Calif. will hold an informational picket on Friday, Dec. 20 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. to call on the hospital to take the necessary steps to recruit and retain experienced nurses to ensure patient safety, announced California Nurses Association (CNA).

MarinHealth is demanding nurses pay more to receive health insurance for themselves and their families. Experienced nurses say they fear they will not be able to stay at MarinHealth because of the increased burden. They note that many of the new nurses who come to MarinHealth leave for other hospitals with more favorable conditions.

“Working in the emergency room overnight, I care for patients who are suffering some of the worst events in their lives, and I am committed to providing them the very best care in the hours of their greatest need,”  said Sheryl Fantom, a registered nurse at MarinHealth for 18 years. “But now I fear I will not be able to care for my own family’s medical needs, as my daughter was born with a genetic condition that will require multiple surgeries over the next few years. It is an absolute injustice that although I have dedicated my life to caring for others, I may not be able to care for my own.”

What: Informational Picket for Nurses and Patients

When: Friday, Dec. 20, 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Where: MarinHealth Medical Center, 250 Bon Air Road, Greenbrae, Calif. 94904

“It is very sad that we spend years mentoring nurses only to see them leave for other hospitals,” said Lynn Warner, a nurse in the step-down unit who has worked at MarinHealth since 2007. “We want to see management work with the nurses to retain experienced nurses so we can provide the best care possible to our patients.”

California Nurses Association represents more than 550 nurses at MarinHealth Medical Center.

The California Nurses Association has 100,000 members and is a founding member of National Nurses United, the largest and fastest growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with more than 150,000 members nationwide. CNA/NNU plays a leadership role in safeguarding the health and safety of RNs and their patients and has won landmark legislation in the areas of staffing, safe patient handling, infectious disease, and workplace violence prevention.