A no-confidence petition on the performance of San Joaquin General Hospital CNO Belva Snyder, RN, was recently delivered to San Joaquin County supervisors and hospital CEO David Culberson by nurses at the French Camp, Calif.-based facility, California Nurses Association/National Nurses United said.
The union, which represents about 800 nurses in the San Joaquin County system, including nurses at San Joaquin General Hospital, cites concerns about Ms. Snyder's leadership and her response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The nurses feel that Ms. Snyder's "failed leadership" through the pandemic has been dangerous for patients and nurses," the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United said in a news release about the petition, delivered Feb. 9. "Her inadequate response to the pandemic has resulted in nurses and patients being unnecessarily exposed to the deadly virus and falling ill."
Union members contend there has been a "severe and dangerous staffing crisis in San Joaquin County's health system" during Ms. Snyder's tenure, and that Ms. Snyder hired short-term traveling nurses instead of addressing nurses' concerns and settling a contract with them.
Both sides have been in negotiations for a new contract since November 2018. Last October, nurses in San Joaquin County's health system went on strike for five days.
In response to the petition, San Joaquin County and San Joaquin General Hospital leaders expressed confidence in Ms. Snyder.
"Her work has been exemplary throughout this COVID-19 crisis," they said in a statement shared with Becker's Feb. 12. "As the hospital experienced increased inpatient census with [intensive care unit] volume over 180 percent of licensed capacity, she has been able to increase nursing staff to provide an appropriate number of nurses and demonstrated support for the safety of hospital employees."
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