MODESTO, CA – Registered nurses at Doctors Medical Center (DMC) in Modesto are raising the alarm about critical patient safety issues stemming from persistent understaffing. Represented by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU), these nurses are holding a public picket on Tuesday, July 30th, to demand immediate action from Tenet Healthcare Corporation, the owner of Doctors Medical Center Of Modesto, to address these jeopardizing conditions.
For months, nurses at Doctors Medical Center of Modesto have witnessed a concerning decline in patient care standards due to what they describe as mismanagement of registered nurse staffing by hospital administration. The situation reached a boiling point recently when hospital management instructed RNs to end their shifts prematurely. This action forced the remaining nurses to shoulder an increased patient load, exacerbating an already strained system. Nurses report that almost every unit within Doctors Medical Center is currently operating with insufficient staff.
Lynn Warmerdam, a case management RN at Doctors Medical Center of Modesto, emphasizes the grave implications of these staffing shortages. “When hospitals ration nursing care like this, it inevitably leads to increased complications and preventable deaths among patients,” Warmerdam stated. “As registered nurses, we are bound by our ethical duty to advocate for our patients and to speak out against such injustices. Doctors Medical Center management’s continued prioritization of profits over patient well-being is unacceptable, and we, the RNs, are taking a stand.”
The picket, intended to bring public attention to these critical issues, will take place:
- Who: Registered Nurses at Doctors Medical Center of Modesto
- What: Patient Safety Picket with Media Availability
- When: Tuesday, July 30, 2024, 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
- Where: Doctors Medical Center, 1441 Florida Ave, Modesto, CA – Public sidewalk outside the hospital
Driven by unsafe working conditions and the hospital’s staffing practices, many experienced nurses are leaving Doctors Medical Center of Modesto. This exodus is creating a significant shortage of seasoned RNs who are crucial for mentoring and training newly graduated nurses, further compounding the patient care challenges.
The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU), representing approximately 1,200 registered nurses at Doctors Medical Center of Modesto, is committed to advocating for safe patient care and fair working conditions for nurses. CNA/NNU is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation, with a strong presence across California and nationwide.
