Registered nurses at Doctors Medical Center (DMC) in Modesto, California, are set to hold a picket on Tuesday, July 30, raising critical concerns about patient safety and persistent understaffing issues. The nurses, represented by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU), are protesting what they describe as the hospital administration’s mismanagement of nurse staffing, which they believe is directly jeopardizing patient care at Doctors Medical Center Modesto.
According to the CNA/NNU, the situation at Doctors Medical Center Modesto has worsened in recent months. Nurses report that hospital management has been forcing RNs to leave their shifts early, exacerbating already strained staffing levels. This practice leaves the remaining nurses responsible for an increased number of patients, spreading resources thin across nearly every unit within the hospital. The nurses argue that these conditions compromise their ability to provide adequate care and maintain patient safety at Doctors Medical Center Modesto.
Lynn Warmerdam, an RN in case management at DMC, emphasizes the ethical responsibility nurses feel towards their patients. “When hospital administrations ration nursing care, we see an increase in patient complications and tragically, preventable deaths,” Warmerdam stated. “As Registered Nurses, we are morally compelled to advocate for our patients and openly oppose this injustice. Doctors Medical Center Modesto management’s continued prioritization of profits over patients is unacceptable, and we, the RNs, will not tolerate it.”
The public picket, providing media availability, is scheduled 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, on the public sidewalk outside the hospital
Nurses at Doctors Medical Center Modesto have consistently voiced their concerns through official channels, filing numerous Assignment Despite Objection (ADO) forms to document instances of unsafe staffing levels. The challenging working conditions are reportedly contributing to nurse attrition, leading to a shortage of experienced RNs needed to mentor and train newly graduated nurses. The CNA currently represents approximately 1,200 registered nurses at Doctors Medical Center.
The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is a prominent union and professional association for registered nurses in the United States, boasting over 100,000 members in California and nearly 225,000 nationwide. They are advocating for improved patient safety standards and fair working conditions for nurses at facilities like Doctors Medical Center Modesto.
