Minnesota Nurses want employers to #protectnurses, other healthcare workers, and patients by following proper infection control practices

Thousands of nurses across the United States put down their stethoscopes and picked up protest signs on Wednesday, August 5th to address the lack of protective gear (PPE) and unsafe staffing levels in their hospitals.   A shortage of PPE (Personal protective equipment) for both patients and hospital staff has been an ongoing problem since COVID-19 forced healthcare institutions to radically change practices.

California union nurses join their colleagues at more than 200 facilities across the country standing up to demand that our employers take action to #ProtectNurses and save lives.

PPE NOW!
Safe staffing NOW!
Racial justice NOW!
Invest in communities NOW! pic.twitter.com/h9cE8uVxfx

— NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNurses) August 5, 2020

Due to safety concerns around the pandemic, hospitals can no longer do the elected surgeries and non-essential services that typically provide them with large profits. Ironically, due to the pandemic hospitals have cut staff, and across the country there have been hiring freezes in medical institutions.  In most towns and cities, where their are no drastic COVID outbreaks, hospitals are operating far under capacity and losing money and shedding staff daily.

California RNs know that another world is possible. One based on nurses values of caring, compassion and community.

That's why nurses at @KPSantaClara are demanding hospitals and elected officials take immediate action to #ProtectNurses and save lives. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/IWkilY4imX

— California Nurses (@CalNurses) August 5, 2020

Nurses who remain employed are now speaking out concerning dangerously low staff levels, as well as unsafe equipment on the front lines.  Their message to the their employers is simple:  ‘save lives’, ‘protect people over profits’, and provide them with the protective equipment they need to keep everyone safe.

San Mateo County nurses make their voices heard: "We are saying NO! to reusing 'decontaminated' N95 masks."

Today bedside SMC RNs joined thousands of other nurses in a national day of action to demand hospitals and elected leaders put PEOPLE before profit. #ProtectNurses pic.twitter.com/QTyWaULjBz

— Bonnie Castillo (@NNUBonnie) August 6, 2020

Many nurses in the Bay Area are calling out hospitals for asking them to ‘reuse contaminated N95 masks’, as well different equipment around respirators that are also in very high demand.

Thankfully the California Nurses Union as well as the National Nurses Organization are strong, and our nurses do have a voice and strong bargaining power.  Their demands are very reasonable:

The California Nurses Association wants public health infrastructure to be strengthened and listed the following via twitter:
⭐ sufficient staffing
⭐ supplies
⭐ space for robust surveillance
⭐ testing
⭐ case isolation
⭐ contact tracing
⭐ and more
to ensure #COVID19 is effectively contained and lives are saved.

San Francisco Kaiser

Standing in solidarity with the California Nurses Association and our nurses here at Kaiser SF. Profits should never come before patients and healthcare professionals. Kaiser should be ashamed of themselves for asking people to reuse PPE and exposing patients and nurse to COVID! pic.twitter.com/94PUbxAhbp

— Shamann Walton (@shamannwalton) August 5, 2020

North Carolina

RNs at @MissionHealthNC fighting to form a union showed up in force this morning with a powerful message for @HCAhealthcare:

? We demand you take action to #ProtectNurses and save lives! ? pic.twitter.com/q02BC8Azx6

— NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNurses) August 5, 2020

Las vegas

Nurses are sounding the alarm about work conditions as Southern Nevada hospitals see a surge of #COVID19 patients. #8NNhttps://t.co/2XKNXUCEDf

— 8 News NOW (@8NewsNow) August 6, 2020

Sacramento

About 100 #Sacramento Kaiser nurses hit the streets to fight for their lives, and the lives of their patients, as part of a day of action with thousands of RNs across the country!!

Every crisis we are seeing now can be traced back to our failure to value human lives over profit. pic.twitter.com/NqkxAvgeRm

— Bonnie Castillo (@NNUBonnie) August 5, 2020

Florida

#Nurses at @HCAhealthcare's Fawcett Memorial Hospital & Oak Hill Hospital in Florida kick off a national day of action!

Just two of more than 2⃣0⃣0⃣ protests being held today across the country today to demand immediate action to save lives during #COVID19.

Enough is enough! pic.twitter.com/GCvd6IHaoA

— Bonnie Castillo (@NNUBonnie) August 5, 2020

Nurses are the first people we see when we are born, and typically the last people we see when we die.  They also happen to be the people who keep us alive in between.  Give them what they need, to do their jobs.