Nurses Protest at UCLA Santa Monica Hospital

From the Santa Monica Daily Press: Nurses staged a rally outside the UCLA hospital in Santa Monica on Monday to protest working conditions during the Coronavirus outbreak. The nurses said they need more protective equipment, want adherence to state mandated nurse/patient ratios and a guarantee of full employment for all healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Source: https://www.smdp.com/nurse-protest/189389

From the Santa Monica Mirror: On Monday, union nurses picketed in front of UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica calling on UCLA Health to provide PPE for all healthcare workers there.

In a statement, UCLA Health told the Mirror that “Recognizing that the virus is transmitted through droplets generated by coughs and sneezes and contact with contaminated surfaces, our current guidelines call for staff to wear surgical face masks and eye protection when caring for all patients who may have COVID-19 Experts recommend reserving more stringent airborne precautions such as N95 masks and associated PPE for procedures that result in aerosolization of the virus – such as intubation – when caregivers are closer than six feet from the patient. These guidelines are aligned with the recommendations of World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

According to UCLA Health, the hospital is evaluating masking practices in consultation with the University of California’s academic health systems and experts at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

“UCLA Heath’s priority, at all times, is the safety of patients, nurses, physicians, and other staff,” UCLA Health said. “We are grateful for the dedication, courage and resilience of our nurses under such extraordinary circumstances.”

Full story at https://smmirror.com/2020/04/santa-monica-nurses-demand-masks/