Registered nurses at Doctors Medical Center (DMC) in Modesto, California, are set to hold a picket on Tuesday, July 30, raising serious alarms about patient safety and persistent understaffing issues. The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) announced the action, highlighting the nurses’ concerns regarding the quality of patient care at the Tenet Healthcare Corporation-owned hospital.
According to the nurses, patient care conditions at Doctors Medical Center Modesto CA have been steadily declining due to what they describe as mismanagement of registered nurse staffing by the hospital administration. In recent times, nurses have reported being forced to end their shifts prematurely, leaving the remaining staff to manage an increased number of patients. The nurses state that nearly every unit within Doctors Medical Center is currently facing staff shortages.
Lynn Warmerdam, a case management RN at DMC, emphasized the critical nature of the situation. “When hospitals ration nursing care, it leads to increased complications and preventable deaths for patients,” Warmerdam stated. “As registered nurses, we are bound by our ethical duty to advocate for our patients’ well-being and to speak out against this injustice. Doctors Medical Center management’s continued prioritization of profits over patients is unacceptable, and we, the RNs, are taking a stand.”
The details of the picket are as follows:
- Who: Registered Nurses at Doctors Medical Center, Modesto
- What: Patient Safety Picket with Media Availability
- When: Tuesday, July 30, 2024, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
- Where: Doctors Medical Center, 1441 Florida Ave, Modesto, CA – Public sidewalk outside the hospital
Nurses have reportedly submitted numerous Assignment Despite Objection (ADO) forms, formally documenting instances of unsafe staffing levels. These challenging working conditions have led to a concerning exodus of experienced nurses from Doctors Medical Center, creating a significant shortage of seasoned RNs needed to mentor and train newly graduated nurses.
The CNA currently represents approximately 1,200 registered nurses working at Doctors Medical Center Modesto CA.
The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) is recognized as the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association for registered nurses in the United States, representing over 100,000 members in more than 200 healthcare facilities across California and nearly 225,000 RNs nationwide.
