header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
March 28
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir


| Friday, Jan 8, 2021
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital ICU nurse Channan Wedemyer tapes a "Save Lives - Safer Staffing Now" placard to her car as participants prepare for a drive-by caravan in front of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital on Friday, 010820. Dan Watson/The Signal

 

About a dozen vehicles with nurses from Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital caravanned through Valencia Friday morning to protest increased nurse-to-patients staffing ratios due to the COVID-19 surge, which they say puts patients at risk.

The hospital is among several in California that was granted last month a temporary expedited waiver from the state Department of Public Health to bump up the number of patients nurses in intensive care units can oversee at one time.

Hospital officials said Friday they are hiring staff and are offering competitive salaries and benefits, as well as incentives to current clinical employees to work extra shifts. In response to the demonstration, officials said the issue is not unique to Henry Mayo.

A car caravan bearing “Save Lives – Safer Staffing Now” placards wait for the traffic light in front of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital on Friday, 010820. Dan Watson/The Signal

Henry Mayo ICU nurse Channan Wedemeyer said she typically cares for two patients at a time — but she’s now caring for three under the waiver.

“As ICU nurses we’re taking care of three patients. Two was hard enough as it was, but three is even worse, especially in the COVID unit,” she said. “It’s causing the nurses to be extremely burnt out and stressed out. They’re not just worried for themselves, they’re worried about being so overwhelmed and so fatigued that they’re going to make a mistake and it puts these patients at risk.”

Staff outside of the ICU unit said they’re also feeling the effects of the overload, such as nurse Nerissa Soriano Black, a mother of two children who works in the cardiac telemetry unit. She went from caring for three patients to six, she said.

“Before the staffing waiver was implemented, we were able to spend 15 minutes every hour on each patient but now we’re only given 10 minutes,” she said. “Those 10 minutes includes putting on our personal protective equipment and taking them off so that we don’t contaminate the next patient, it includes reviewing lab results, imaging results (and) calling the physician for any abnormal findings.”

Labor Rep. Debbi Pacheco hands out placards that read “Save Lives – Safer Staffing Now” as participants prepare for a drive-by caravan in front of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital on Friday, 010820. Dan Watson/The Signal

For ICU nurse Clarissa Simpson, patient care is her top priority but she fears it is being jeopardized with more patient load.

“I absolutely love working in Henry Mayo and we want to give the very best care to our patients, but when we’re being stretched between multiple patients and trying to take care of just their basic medical needs, we’re not available to provide them the emotional support that they need. They don’t have their family there with them,” she said.

Some Henry Mayo nurses said they had warned hospital officials about the winter COVID-19 surge when the hospital laid off a number of staff in the summer of 2020. Offering incentives continuously and bringing in more nurses could bring relief to the hospital, they added.

Hospital officials expressed gratitude for their health care staff, adding the situation is in compliance with the law and part of the hospital’s efforts to deal with the significant surge in COVID-19 diagnoses the community has seen.

“As is widely reported, every hospital in California is dealing with unprecedented patient volumes,” said hospital spokesman Patrick Moody. “We are deeply grateful to the hundreds of dedicated Henry Mayo employees and medical staff members who are working long, demanding hours, extra shifts and performing heroically day after day after day to take care of every Henry Mayo patient under extremely challenging circumstances. As always Henry Mayo is complying with all state and federal health regulations. The state of California has allowed hospitals to waive staffing ratios as needed during this time.”

Friday’s demonstration in Valencia is among others that have taken place across the state with nurses rallying with their union, the California Nurses Association.

In response, officials with the California Hospital Association have said the increase in patients per nurses is to cope with the recent coronavirus surge that has left many hospitals at 0% ICU bed capacity and some, including Henry Mayo, to issue a “code triage” due to staffing shortages and a large number of COVID-19 patient admissions.

“With COVID, the reality is there are not enough staff, not enough nurses in this state at the moment to care for all of the patients who need our care,” said Jan Emerson-Shea,

vice president of external affairs with the Hospital Association. “We still have not seen the impact of Christmas, let alone New Years. We have not yet hit the peak of this. So, the waivers that the state Department of Public Health issues is for 60 days. That’s it. We’re not turning back the clock on ratios forever.”

Emerson-Shea was critical of the Nurses Association, calling the demonstrations a “publicity stunt.”

“It’s really not a time that people should be standing on the sidelines and protesting,” she said. “We should all be working together: hospitals, doctors, nurses, state officials, public health to address the crisis we are facing in the state.”

The California Office of Emergency Services recently asked the federal government for 500 medical personnel to aid overloaded hospitals, following an initial request from L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn to secure the USNS Mercy hospital ship, but the ship is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024
California Announces $25 Million in Awards for Youth Mental Health
To support the mental health of California's young people, the California Department of Public Health awarded $25 million to 28 tribal and community-based organizations across the state.
Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024
California Launches New Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign
The California Department of Public Health launched the “Never a Bother” campaign, a youth suicide prevention public awareness and outreach campaign for youth, young adults, and their parents, caregivers, and allies.
Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024
April 20: Santa Clarita Master Chorale’s Cabaret, Cabernet Fundraiser
The Santa Clarita Master Chorale invites the community to "Let the Sunshine In," a delightful evening of food, wine and song at the annual Cabaret & Cabernet fundraising benefit.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
Due to the projected rain forecast, Eggstravaganza will now be held indoors at the Canyon Country Community Center beginning promptly at 10 a.m. on March 30.
March 30: Eggstravaganza Now Being Held Indoors at Canyon Country Community Center
To support the mental health of California's young people, the California Department of Public Health awarded $25 million to 28 tribal and community-based organizations across the state.
California Announces $25 Million in Awards for Youth Mental Health
The College of the Canyons Athletic Department will host a dedication ceremony to unveil the Michele Jenkins Softball Team Room in honor of the longtime board member and ardent softball program supporter’s nearly 40 years of service to the district.
April 16: COC to Host Michele Jenkins Team Room Dedication Ceremony
PFLAG Santa Clarita has announced the establishment of the Peggy and Jeff Stabile PFLAG SCV Scholarship. The scholarship will provide financial assistance to LGBTQIA+ students pursuing higher education and committed to advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights and promoting diversity and inclusion.
PFLAG SCV Announces Stabile PFLAG Scholarship
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir
The California Department of Public Health launched the “Never a Bother” campaign, a youth suicide prevention public awareness and outreach campaign for youth, young adults, and their parents, caregivers, and allies.
California Launches New Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign
The Santa Clarita Master Chorale invites the community to "Let the Sunshine In," a delightful evening of food, wine and song at the annual Cabaret & Cabernet fundraising benefit.
April 20: Santa Clarita Master Chorale’s Cabaret, Cabernet Fundraiser
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:
March 27 Ocean Water Warning
As an integral ingredient necessary to help the Santa Clarita Valley to flourish, feedback from the business community is the secret sauce for achieving great things.
SCVEDEC Asks For the Business Community’s Opinion on Santa Clarita
Raise your heart rate while raising funds for the Santa Clarita Sister Cities Dollars-for-Desks campaign to provide school desks for students in Sariaya, Santa Clarita's Sister City in the Philippines.
April 13: Sister Cities Zumba-thon Fundraiser
Remo, Inc. is is the world's leading manufacturer and developer of synthetic drumheads and shells. They’ve been in business for 60 years
SCVEDC Company Spotlight: Drumming Up Big Business with Remo, Inc.
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) and Assemblyman James Ramos (D-Highland) have introduced AB 3074 the "School or athletic team names: California Racial Mascots Act."
Schiavo Introduces Bill to Prohibit ‘Derogatory’ School Mascot Names
Los Angeles County’s Justice, Care and Opportunities Department  in collaboration with Local Initiatives Support Corporation Los Angeles is proud to announce the 2nd Annual Pitch Competition for the cohorts of JCOD's Incubation Academy.
March 28: JCOD Incubation Academy Helps Grassroots Non-Profits For the Second Year
Children’s Bureau is seeking foster families and now offers two virtual ways for individuals and/or couples to learn how to help children in foster care while reunifying with birth families or how to provide legal permanency by adoption.
April 18: Children’s Bureau Hosts Virtual Orientation
The Sunburst track was constructed in 1887 by the Southern Pacific Railroad and was a part of the main line running between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Enjoy Spring With a Ride On The Sunburst Track
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a Personal Finance Summit today where he announced his support for Assembly Bill 2927 (McCarty), legislation that would require a personal finance education course for California high school graduation.
State Superintendent Announces Support for Personal Finance Graduation Requirement
1847 - Probable birth date of Pico Canyon oil driller Charles Alexander Mentry [story]
C.A. Mentry
The first Music Jam Session at The MAIN was held on Thursday, Feb. 22 and was a hit. Come out and join in for the next one on Thursday, March 28 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
March 28: The MAIN to Host Musicians’ Jam Session
Los Angeles County Inspector General Max Huntsman of the Office of Inspector General has issued a report entitled "Tenth Report Back on Implementing Body-Worn Cameras in Los Angeles County."
Office of Inspector General Issues Latest Report on LASD Body Cams
College of the Canyons women's tennis played to a convincing 7-2 conference win over Ventura College on Moica to strengthen its potential playoff resume.
Canyons Closes Out Ventura 7-2 in Final Home Match
Join the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce with the Latino Business Alliance at the Cinco de Mayo Networking Celebration on Tuesday, May 7.
May 7: Latino Business Alliance Cinco de Mayo Celebration
The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control is hosting March Meowness promotion where all cat adoptions are just $15 from now until April 9.
Adopt a Cat During March Meowness at Castaic Animal Center
California State University, Northridge is partnering with the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians and the Tataviam Land Conservancy to battle the impact of climate change in disadvantaged communities throughout the San Fernando Valley by establishing “urban forests.”
CSUN Partners with Fernandeño Tataviam Band to Build Urban Forests
SCVNews.com