Hundreds of nurses from Long Beach (Calif.) Medical Center and Miller Children's and Women's Hospital Long Beach picketed June 24 over staffing and pay, according to the Press-Telegram.
The California Nurses Association said its members have been in contract negotiations since January and want management to invest in nursing staff. They also seek "competitive wages that recognize nursing experience," according to the union, which represents 2,150 nurses at the hospitals.
But hospital officials told the Press-Telegram nurse-to-patient staffing ratios exceed standards and that the hospitals are safe.
Tony Garcia, MSN, RN, CNO of the medical center, told the newspaper nurses only work in specialized units they have the qualifications for and called for nurses to have talks at the bargaining table.