More than a dozen medical staffers rallied in front of Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center Wednesday morning to demand more protections from the new coronavirus.
“We have had a number of patients come in who they didn’t think had the virus, and all of a sudden they did have the virus after they were tested,” said Sarah Fried, the chief nurse representative for the Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center staff. “Many of our nurses weren’t wearing any protective gear when they took care of these patients.”
The California Nurses Association, National Nurses Organizing Committee and National Nurses United made a joint announcement that their employers and the government need to provide more protection from the new coronavirus for the sick and those who care for them.
The nursing organizations criticized the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for rolling back personal protective equipment standards for N95 respirators. The surgical masks are worn to protect people from airborne particles and contamination from liquid, as defined by the Food and Drug Administration.
The organizations also protested the CDC’s decision to limit the use of negative pressure isolation rooms and weaken protections for workers collecting diagnostic samples.
“Registered nurses are outraged to learn that the [CDC] on Tuesday further weakened its guidance on measures to contain COVID-19,” the organizations’ news release said. “These are moves that National Nurses United nurses say will gravely endanger nurses, health care workers, patients and our communities.”
The CDC recommended that health care facilities ration N95 respirators by wearing the masks past their designated shelf life and reusing masks.
Fried said this practice is harmful for patients and nurses.
“The rationing of masks is very, very concerning. That’s one of our main protections against spreading anything to other patients,” Fried said. “We have cancer patients on my unit who have no immune system. So if they get infected with the virus, it’s very, very concerning.”
The three nursing organizations said the CDC should require negative pressure isolation rooms for patients potentially infected with new coronavirus because the rooms decrease transmission risk.
“These negative pressure rooms are where all of the patients should be. These rooms suck the air out of the room up into the atmosphere. Regular rooms don’t do that,” Fried said. “So basically, the virus can stay in the room and that’s what can infect people.”
Fried said Kaiser Permanente has fewer than 20 negative pressure rooms, which she believes is insufficient.
“It’s concerning we don’t have enough rooms to put patients who might be positive with the coronavirus,” Fried said.
Karl Sonkin, media relations representative for Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara, confirmed that Santa Clara has negative pressure rooms available, but could not disclose the number.
Kaiser Permanente Northern California released a statement announcing that they engage weekly to air grievances from staff members and will do its diligence to keep employees safe.
Ann Williamson, regional chief nurse executive for Kaiser Permanente Northern California, said they would follow advice from the state and the CDC moving forward.
