RNs to hold protest Friday followed by public comment at board of directors meeting

Registered nurses at Tri-City Medical Center, part of the Tri-City Healthcare District in Oceanside, Calif., will hold a protest on Friday, March 31, to demand district officials and administrators cease any plans to close or terminate public women’s and reproductive health services at the hospital, announced California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) today.

“I don’t know of anyone in our community who thinks it's safe or responsible to close or privatize [these] services at Tri-City Medical Center,” said Cathy Cronce, RN and chair of CNA’s RN professional practice committee at Tri-City. “We have the backing of patients and community who are confused as to why they are being told they wouldn’t be able to come here anymore. It’s unfathomable.

“We need the board of directors to maintain labor and delivery, [post-partum], and neonatal intensive care services open to the public as part of our existing public health care district’s services,” said Cronce.

• Who:    RNs at Tri-City Medical Center
• What:   Protest and public comment to demand reproductive health services remain open
• When:  Friday, March 31, 3:00 p.m. protest, followed by RNs speaking during public comment at Tri-City Healthcare District Board of Directors meeting at 3:30 p.m.
• Where: Tri-City Medical Center, 4002 Vista Way, Oceanside, CA 92056 on sidewalk near main entrance. Board of directors meeting is in Tri-City Medical Center Assembly Rooms (lower level).

"We have excellent staff at Tri-City Medical Center to support families during this special time,” said Lauren Nance, an RN who has worked at the medical center for 36 years. “It is safest to deliver close to home where minutes can make a difference in babies and mother’s lives. There’s no reason for families to travel long distances for care.”

“Tri-City Medical Center has been delivering babies for generations and would like to continue to do so,” said Nance. “We accept all health insurance and Medi-Cal and provide a vital service to our patients. We ask for public and board support to allow us to continue providing this care for the safety of our community members.”

Nurses say they want the public to know that RNs are deeply concerned about the availability of women’s and reproductive health services in North County as officials deliberate the future of the units at Tri-City Medical Center. RNs are fighting to ensure that the OB/GYN services provided by the public health care district for more than 50 years remain open to the public for generations to come.

CNA/NNU represents 500 nurses in the Tri-City Healthcare District.

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.