In Patient Services from Layoffs That Undermine Needed Care

Registered nurses, respiratory and X-ray technicians and other staff will picket Glendale Memorial Hospital Thursday, January 31 to protest staffing layoffs they say will adversely affect patient access to needed care.

The employees are members of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United, and the CNA-affiliated Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union.

What:  Nurses, techs, other employees picket to protest cuts in staffing and services
When:  Thursday, January 31, 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Where:  Glendale Memorial Hospital - 1420 South Central Ave., Glendale

In a petition to hospital management, the nurses and technicians say the cuts “will result in a delay of care and will make it less likely staff can provide the quality of care our patient population deserves.”

Among the cuts the employees say will erode patient care are reductions in:

• Licensed Vocational Nurses that will delay nursing tasks, patient care and rehabilitation care
• Nurses aides that will delay food, water, and other services for patients
• Monitor techs that can leave cardiac monitors un-watched
• Environmental staff that will affect cleanliness of the hospital

Such layoffs have broad, adverse implications say the nurses and other healthcare staff. For example, cuts in environmental staff undermine rigorous cleaning of hospital surfaces and disinfecting patient rooms that is necessary to help stop the spread of infectious disease and material, including the flu virus, an essential concern at the height of flu season.

Additionally, say the employees in their petition, “the policy of removing patient care, environmental and transition personnel is a violation of the state lift law that mandates assistance and personnel” for helping to lift patients to reduce serious patient falls and accidents.

Glendale, and other hospitals that are part of the Dignity health system, should act immediately, say the RNs and other employees to reverse the layoffs and restore the staff “to the patient care floors which would restore the Dignity in the care we all strive to provide to the patient population we serve.”

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