Nurses Walk Off the Job at Kaiser Los Angeles

Nurses at Kaiser Los Angeles walked off the job this morning at 6 am, to join in a 24 hour strike in front of Kaiser's Los Angeles facility.

In an interview on KTLA TV, a Kaiser physician spoke of the hours that Hospice nurses were being required to work, and noted that after 18 to 32 hours of work for instance, there was a reduction in the ability to function properly in the job required.  He said that in Hospice, the idea is to help dying patients to have a calm, quiet atmosphere, and pass peacefully with the help and assistance of trained Hospice nurses.  The physician continued to state that the required hours that Kaiser is asking of their nurses is not conducive to this area of nursing.

Nurses in the hospice department at Kaiser L.A. were working an eight hour shift, followed by a period of being on-call for 16 hours, then returning for another shift of eight hours.  "No health care professional can keep up this type of schedule", the Kaiser physician noted.

Kaiser management stated on the news broadcast that they are listening to the nurses concerns, and the nurses who have walked off the job for the 24 hour long strike will be welcome to return to their normal positions after the strike is over.    

Nurses interviewed on the strike line belonged to the Union that most Kaiser employees are a member of.  "This is for our patients", one nurse noted as she walked the large circle with picket sign in hand.  "We are concerned that our nurse to patient ratio is getting out of hand, and our patients are our livelihood, our greatest concern; the people we advocate for." 

When a staffing issue such as a high nurse to patient ratio can not be rectified, a strike is imminent.  Nurses need to be able to perform the job, which is already stressful in itself, in a safe and efficient manner.  Having too many patients per nurse is not a good situation for any facility, patient, or healthcare worker.  In the end, all three entities lose.   

Is this another sign of a nursing shortage in California?  Or is this more an issue of employers in general wanting and needing to  reduce the cost of added employees? 

I know personally of three nurses, all in different specialties and different degrees of experience who are looking for employment. Why are there consistent reports of nursing shortages, when nursing schools are turning out record numbers of graduates?  When experienced nurses are searching for positions?   

I would like to hear from you on this issue.  We are all affected by this subject.  Proper patient care is at stake!!

Any of us could be a patient at a moments notice....... 

Gentle Hugs...