LOS ANGELES, CA — Thousands of nurses signed a petition this week to halt layoffs at more than a dozen California hospitals where more than 175 healthcare workers are slated to be laid off.
Holding signs that read "some cuts don't heal," the nurses held a rally and press conference in Los Angeles on Monday morning to protest owner and operator CommonSpirit Health's plans to layoff staff at 17 hospitals in California, which opponents say will have an impact on patient safety.
Among the CommonSpirit hospitals which are expecting layoffs are California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles, St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, Glendale Memorial Hospital, and Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz.
CommonSpirit has proposed layoffs of 82 positions at California Hospital Medical Center, including all pediatric unit nurses, according to California Nurses Association/National Nurses United.
More than 5,000 nurses signed the petition, asking CommonSpirit to rescind its proposed plans to layoff hospital staff.
Hospital staff were notified about the proposed layoffs in June. Most of CommonSpirit's proposed layoffs would affect ancillary positions, including patient transporters, physical therapy aides, clerks, and unit secretaries. Nurses, including pediatric registered nurses, also received layoff notices, according to California Nurses Association/National Nurses United.
California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is a union that represents more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California, and more than 225,000 registered nurses across the country.
"Nurses depend on ancillary staff to meet the needs of our patients," Rachel Gutierrez, a registered nurse at California Hospital Medical Center told the union last week.
"These layoffs will mean nurses have to take time away from the direct care needs of our patients, because CommonSpirit will also expect us to do the tasks of the ancillary staff they're laying off, like answering phones and opening restricted doors to let visitors in."
In the petition, the nurses said the proposed layoffs would affect "critical positions which are essential for us to provide safe, quality care. As patient advocates, we will not stay silent about these layoffs – we are obligated to inform our community about the dangers these cuts will have on our hospitals, which will ultimately increase harm to our patients and the community as a whole," according to California Nurses Association/National Nurses United.
The petition also said the hospital staff "reject" plans for them to perform work previously performed by employees who would be laid off.
"RNs will not perform work outside their classification that interferes with direct patient care responsibilities," the petition said.
A CommonSpirit spokesperson sent a statement to Patch on Tuesday, which said:
California Hospital Medical Center is facing unprecedented economic pressures, soaring costs and complex government and payer dynamics. To support long-term sustainability and uphold our commitment to serving our communities, we are taking a number of steps to improve efficiency and reduce costs. This includes making the difficult decision to reduce some roles in our organization. We are committed to approaching this process with compassion and respect.
By strengthening our operational foundation, we are strategically positioning ourselves to adeptly navigate today's healthcare landscape. This proactive approach not only enhances our immediate resilience in addressing current challenges but also lays the groundwork for sustained growth and innovation for improved health outcomes long term.
It's unclear when CommonSpirit's hospital layoffs in California could go into effect.
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