As Hospitals Fill, Louisiana Seeks More Health Care Workers
Several hospitals in the state say they are at capacity and need more staff, especially nurses. In other news, protesting hospital staff and health care workers who have died because of COVID
The Advocate:
Louisiana Asks For 100s Of Health Workers As Hospitals Hit Capacity: 'We're Treading Water'
Hampered by dwindling staff numbers, hospital leaders across the state on Thursday warned they are at or near capacity, amid a surge in cases that made Louisiana the 12th and smallest state to confirm 100,000 infections. The wave of infections that continued climbing this week comes as Gov. John Bel Edwards signs an order to keep the state in a modified version of its Phase 2 reopening plan – one that shutters bars and mandates masks when people are out in public – for two more weeks. ... And the governor asked the federal government for several hundred health care workers to aid shortages at facilities across the state. (Karlin, 7/23)
Kaiser Health News:
Lost On The Frontline
A lab assistant who spoke out about employee safety. A disease intervention specialist who hoped to follow her mother into nursing. A father of three who juggled jobs at three nursing homes. These are some of the people just added to “Lost on the Frontline,” a special series from The Guardian and KHN that profiles health care workers who died of COVID-19. (7/24)
And in other news on health workers --
Sacramento Bee:
UC Davis Surgical Nurses Protest Mandatory Overtime Policy
Surgical team nurses at UC Davis Health protested Thursday outside the medical center in Sacramento, saying management’s move to require them to work overtime poses a danger to patient health. (Anderson, 7/23)
Sacramento Bee:
Dignity Health Workers In Sacramento Protest Racist Comments
About three dozen Dignity Health workers protested Thursday in front of Mercy General Hospital, saying Black members in the union have been subjected to racist language and double standards. Upon reporting the incidents to managers, union officials said, no actions were taken against those who used offensive language or who unfairly applied standards. (Anderson and Smith, 7/23)
