CNA staff to speak out on patient safety issues at March 14 supervisors meeting

Registered nurses and health care professionals who work for the Ventura County Health System will speak out about their concerns over patient safety, the lack of recruitment and retention of experienced nurses, and the problem of chronic short staffing during the Ventura County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, March 14, announced California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) today.

“Throughout the Covid pandemic Ventura County nurses and health care professionals have been on the front lines providing the care our community depends on,” said Gina Parcon, an ICU nurse at Santa Paula Hospital. “But we are seeing too many of our experienced nurses leave our hospitals for nearby facilities with better compensation and better working conditions. Now we are calling on Ventura County to stand with us as we negotiate a contract that will improve patient care and demonstrate the respect that nurses and health care professionals deserve so that we can stop this revolving door.”

• Who:    CNA represented registered nurses and health care professionals
• What:   Press availability following public comment period at Ventura County Board of Supervisors Meeting
• When:  Tuesday March 14, 10:00 a.m. following public comment period at Ventura County Board of Supervisors meeting. (The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m.)
• Where: Ventura County Board of Supervisors, 800 S. Victoria Ave, Ventura (Corner of S. Victoria and Telephone Rd.)

Nurses and health care workers say due to the lack of staff, they are going without meal or rest breaks during their 12-hour shifts. Numerous studies have shown that exhausted nurses are more likely to make errors than those who have an opportunity to rest and recharge.

“I am committed to giving my patients 110 percent,” Katie Dornbos, a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Ventura County Medical Center. “But there are times I am being pulled in two or three different directions at once and that is not fair to my patients. We need to be able to attract a new generation of nurses and health care professionals who will stay with the county to provide care to our community. We need the county to show their commitment by reaching a contract agreement that will address safe staffing, workplace safety, and retention.”

On Feb. 28, Ventura County nurses and health care professionals held a candlelight vigil with hundreds of nurses, health care professionals, as well as community and labor allies rallying in the rain to demand that county management address the serious patient care and staffing issues being raised by the CNA bargaining team.

Bargaining between the county and CNA began in December of 2022. The current collective bargaining agreement expires on March 17.  

CNA represents more than 700 nurses and health care professionals with the County of Ventura.

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.