Ten nurses were suspended from a California hospital after saying that they would not continue working with coronavirus patients unless they were given N95 face masks, Buzzfeed News reported.
The nurses, who are all employed at Providence St. John’s Medical Center in Santa Monica, were placed on administrative leave last week and are facing potential disciplinary action.
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The nurses’ demands for better protective equipment came after learning that a coworker had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
At Providence St. John’s, nurses claim that the N95 respirators, which filter out 95% of air particles, are being reserved for doctors while they’re being given porous surgical masks instead.
Last week, three nurses were suspended for demanding the N95s for themselves, and seven more nurses were suspended after making other demands over the weekend.
Those demands for equipment were met with a form that the nurses were required to sign prior to their suspension.
“Failure to accept a direct order is a violation of our Hospital policy and is considered insubordination,” the notice read. “In addition, we would need to consider if it is reportable to your licensing body as patient abandonment or other professional misconduct.”
National Nurses United, which represents the suspended nurses, told the Associated Press that they are not allowed to return to work until there’s been a formal investigation from human resources, which could result in disciplinary action, but added that they’re still being paid.
Chelsea Halmy, one of the suspended nurses, insisted they deserve the same protective equipment as their medical coworkers.
“We spend significantly more time with these patients than doctors,” she told Buzzfeed News . “It just made us feel like they are valuing the lives of the doctors more than the nurses.”
“We’re with positive patients that are coughing and are super sick, and we’re in a small, closed room with them for like 12 hours,” she continued. “How can we be denied the proper protection?”
Providence St. John’s has since announced that it will be providing all nurses caring for COVID-19 patients with N95 masks.
In a statement to AP , the hospital confirmed it has increased its supply and has been disinfecting the masks daily, though added, “It’s no secret there is a national shortage.”
Jean Ross, the co-president of National Nurses United, blamed the Trump administration for that shortage.
“Originally, they had it right. They said we needed N95 masks,” she told Buzzfeed News. “And then the American Hospital Association talks to them, and then we got this.”
Halmy said she didn’t want to abandon her patients, but also admitted she didn’t feel safe without a proper mask on.
“I was just trying to keep my head down and take care of my patients,” she explained . “All I was asking for was what I needed to keep myself safe. I’ve been really saddened that my hospital hasn’t been getting me the support that I deserve.”
She added, “I mean, it’s crazy that they’re expecting us to wear the same type of mask that they’re telling people to wear to the supermarket.”
h/t: Buzzfeed News , Associated Press
