LAID-OFF HEALTHCARE WORKERS PROTEST AT POWAY’S PALOMAR HEALTH, DESIGNATED FEMA FIELD HOSPITAL FOR COVID-19

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By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson 

Photos courtesy of the California Nurses Association

April 13, 2020 (Poway) – Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Poway’s Palomar Health laid off 221 healthcare employees.  Today, around 45 registered nurses, technicians and other healthcare workers held a protest outside Palomar Medical Center in Poway.  

“Number one-we want safe staffing, number two-proper PPE (personal protective equipment), and three-rescind the layoffs,” Lori Isham, a five-year employee who participated in the protest, told ECM.  

Isham says the group began group texting each other on Tuesday, April 7. The lay-offs started the next day. 

“People who were at work were called into offices and told they were being laid off --a temporary 21 day lay-off,” she said. Others received a letter. 

The 21-day layoff, which may or may not be extended, started April 8. Those laid off include 221 employees who are not involved with care of COVID-19 patients.

According to Derryl Acosta, public relations manager for Palomar, there were 15 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 on April 13. That number can vary greatly on a daily and weekly basis.

The protest started at 8:00 a.m. in front of the Poway facility and ended around 9:20 a.m. Numerous  TV stations reported from the scene.  

According to the California Nurses Association the layoffs come on the heels of Palomar Health announcing the opening of a 250-bed FEMA field hospital to help battle the pandemic. The association further stated that healthcare workers have been struggling to obtain PPE, provide safe patient care, and stay safe as employees. 

Additionally, the union declared laying off essential healthcare workers is not in line with preparing for the surge of anticipated covid patients. 

In a prepared statement Palomar cites the layoffs as temporary.

“As a public healthcare district, we take our responsibility to provide care to our community very seriously and must adjust staffing levels to patient volume to remain solvent,” stated Palomar president and ceo Diane Hansen. “Safe patient care will remain our top priority and these temporary layoffs do not impact any positions related to inpatient bedside care.” 

The health care provider also has a facility in Escondido. 

Currently, laid off employees will still maintain benefits and are eligible for unemployment.

“It’s important to know that elective surgeries and outpatient services were suspended on March 18 due to COVID-19 safety precautions,” claimed Hansen. “While these were absolutely the right actions to take, it resulted in many nurses and caregivers without patients to care for. Seventy-four percent of affected staff were from surgery and outpatient departments; the remaining positions were support roles not directly related to patient care.  There was no impact to inpatient care positions.”

But Isham emphasized the need for healthcare workers to be up-to-speed and on the job before an anticipated surge, not after the fact.

Palomar’s plans after the April 8 lay-offs?

“It is our intent to bring employees back after business returns to normal levels,” stated Hansen. 

The protests were peaceful and observed current COVID measures.  Isham noted the protest honored social distancing by using caution tape to mark off safe positions and relied on signs, not chants, to declare their stance. 

“A lot of people drove by and honked and were supportive,” said Isham. 

Another laid off healthcare provider, nurse Mitra Khosroshahi, told ECM news partner 10News: “When there was fire going on, we worked double shifts. When there’s an earthquake or anything happens, we work double shifts. Now I was wondering, did they cut down the administration-- the big shots--or not? That's the question we have to ask.” 

 

 

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