Nurse's union claims St. Joe's staffing shortage risks patient lives, hospital responds
EUREKA, Calif. — Members of staff at St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka have organized a "press conference" during which they say they plan to declare a staffing crisis at St. Joseph Eureka and Redwood Memorial Hospitals.
"On Monday, Sept. 10 at noon, on the front sidewalk of St. Joseph Hospital, Eureka, dozens of hospital providers and nurses will demand that both hospitals adequately staff key departments immediately so that they do not continue to compromise patient care," the event page on Facebook reads (full text below).
The groups that are reportedly speaking out are the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) and the California Nurses Association (CNA).
Allen McCloskey, the union steward with the NUHW who is described as a lab technician at St. Joseph Eureka, said via the event page, "At least two patient deaths are being investigated because the hospital used bed alarms instead of hands-on care."
Chief executive at St. Joseph Health Roberta Luskin-Hawk denies this allegation, saying in a statement sent to North Coast News: "...under no circumstance has a patient death occurred in our facility due to the use of bed alarms" (full text below).
A cardiac monitor technician, Ruby Sierra, is also quoted on the event page, making another disturbing allegation: she said while working at St. Joseph's Progressive Care Unit, she was forced to urinate on herself because her manager would not cover her when she needed to use the bathroom.
The event page reads: "'I suffered first-hand the impacts of St. Joseph's under-staffing,' says Ruby Sierra, a Monitor Technician in St. Joseph's Progressive Care Unit (PCU). 'I was the only Monitor Tech working my shift and my manager denied my requests for cover when I needed to use the bathroom. For the sake of keeping patients safe, I remained at my station and urinated all over myself. Nobody should have to go through the humiliation and physical torture I went through.'"
According to McCloskey, staff have brought their concerns to hospital administrators, but he says they have been ignored. But Luskin-Hawk says "many" of the "misleading claims" by the NUHW and CNA "have been addressed previously."
The full text of Luskin-Hawk's statement is below:
Statement by Roberta Luskin-Hawk, MD, Chief Executive, St. Joseph Health-Humboldt County:
As a physician leader, patient safety and quality care are my highest priorities. Since my arrival, the leadership team and I have been focused on ways we can enhance the care of our patients and support our caregivers in this work. The willingness to evolve as health care is transformed across the country and the commitment to safety and quality care are some of the things that most attracted me to St. Joseph Health, an organization that has been committed to caring for the health and well-being of this community for nearly 100 years. Our work helps the people of this community live better, healthier lives.
These facts are why it was all the more disappointing to read the latest misleading claims by the unions, many of which have been addressed previously. Indeed, our hospital recently underwent a site visit and review by the California Department of Public Health, which found we are in full compliance regarding staffing. And under no circumstance has a patient death occurred in our facility due to the use of bed alarms.
As health care in our country evolves, so too must our work. We are challenging the way we have done things and seeking opportunities to make the work we do easier and more aligned. We are making changes to some of our processes, programs and services and understand that these changes are difficult for the unions to understand. Rather than fighting change on its face, we invite the unions to consider certain change will benefit this community, our patients and caregivers. We invite the unions to share their ideas as we respond to the rapidly evolving health care climate, move toward the future, and work to ensure the sustainability of our organization.
The following is the entire text of the Facebook event page, allegedly written by McCloskey:
Members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) and the California Nurses Association (CNA) declare a staffing crisis at St. Joseph Eureka and Redwood Memorial Hospital and expose the dangerous and unhealthy impacts on patient care. They call for immediate staffing in critical departments.
On Monday, September 10 at noon, on the front side-walk of St. Joseph Hospital, Eureka, dozens of hospital providers and nurses will demand that both hospitals adequately staff key departments immediately so they do not continue to compromise patient care.
For months, those of us who work closely with patients have informed Hospital Management that certain gaps in staffing are causing dangerous situations for our patients," states Allen McCloskey, Union Steward with NUHW and Lab Technician at St. Joseph Eureka. "At least two patient deaths are being investigated because the Hospital used bed alarms instead of hands-on care. We are offering concrete proposals that the Hospital can implement to remedy this crisis, and they have ignored us."
"I suffered first-hand the impacts of St. Joseph's under-staffing," says Ruby Sierra, a Monitor Technician in St. Joseph's Progressive Care Unit (PCU). "I was the only Monitor Tech working my shift and my manager denied my requests for cover when I needed to use the bathroom. For the sake of keeping patients safe, I remained at my station and urinated all over myself. Nobody should have to go through the humiliation and physical torture I went through.
Recent reports show St. Joseph's profits are more than healthy and that the hospital failed to provide the amount of charity care it promised the State would.
"Nursing Assistants care for more patients than what is realistic and safe," states Lesley Ester, RN, a nurse at St. Joseph Hospital and Union representative with CNA. "I don't understand why the hospital administration is risking patient care if it can afford to adequately staff our hospital. What will it take--more patient deaths?"
Community allies and public officials will also attend the press conference.
