Registered nurses and nurse practitioners protested at more than 20 Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente medical centers across the state Monday over what they deem as inadequate staffing, reports The Press Democrat.
The RNs and nurse practitioners, who are represented by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United, are urging Kaiser to agree to seven proposals they say would improve patient care, union officials said in a news release. These proposals include "improved RN staffing in hospitals to protect sicker patients sometimes inappropriately placed in hospital units with fewer RNs" as well as "increased RN staffing in clinics, call centers and home health and hospice where Kaiser is increasingly shifting care delivery," among others.
Kaiser Permanente Northern California and the CNA have been in negotiations since mid-July, with the current contract set to expire at the end of this month.
In an emailed statement to Becker's Hospital Review, Debora Catsavas, senior vice president of human resources at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, said Kaiser has been engaging in good-faith bargaining throughout negotiations.
She added, "We respect and value our nurses, who are the best in healthcare, and are proud that Kaiser Permanente is a recognized leader in health care quality and safety. Our first priority is always the health and safety of our patients and members. Decisions about patient care are made by our physicians, based on what is best for the patient. We comply with state mandated nurse staffing ratios, and often exceed them."