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Local nurses to hold candlelight vigil to protest “unsafe staffing and demand” at AV Hospital

by The AV Times Staff • February 12, 2020

LANCASTER – Registered nurses at Antelope Valley Hospital will hold a candlelight vigil this Thursday to highlight “deep concerns about chronic understaffing and retaliation against nurses who advocate for their patients,” according to an announcement by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United.

“We love our patients and our community,” said Maria Altamirano, RN and chief nurse representative at Antelope Valley Hospital. “But patients are put at risk if nurses cannot take a break during their 12-hour shift or must work up to 20 hours straight because of short staffing.”

The “Candlelight Vigil for Patient Safety and a Fair Contract” will take place at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, near Antelope Valley Hospital (1600 West Avenue J) at the intersection of West Avenue J and 15th Street West.

According to the CNA/NNU representatives, nurses have met with Antelope Valley Hospital CEO Edward Mirzabegian and vice president of operations Nana Deeb on multiple occasions and spoken out at the public board of directors meeting on Jan. 29 to address the nearly 200 reports of understaffing that occurred during the height of the 2019-2020 flu season.

Nurses have been in contract negotiations with management since November 2019.

Nurses have also raised concern over the rising number of violent attacks on hospital staff, especially mental health nurses, CNA/NNU representatives said.

“When proper staffing is neglected, care becomes delayed and patients and nurses suffer,” Altamirano said. “We have seen nurses physically attacked – choked and knocked unconscious, leading to long-term neurological problems and PTSD.”

According to reports from CNA/NNU, understaffing is the number one underlying factor leading to violent attacks on nurses. Antelope Valley nurses have advocated for a workplace violence plan and committee during ongoing contract negotiations, as required by state law, but say the hospital’s plan falls short of state requirements.

CNA/NNU represents 950 nurses at Antelope Valley Hospital.

[Information via news release from the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United.]

Filed Under: Health, Home, Lancaster

14 comments for "Local nurses to hold candlelight vigil to protest “unsafe staffing and demand” at AV Hospital"

  1. Tom says

    February 17, 2020 at 8:43 pm

    These nurses are always striking. They are among the highest paid for their bed count, have numerous nursing and EMT schools in the valley which provide free labor year round which enables nurses to take breaks and pass on the dirty work to students. AV nurses just like to complain.

  2. Alby says

    February 17, 2020 at 12:00 pm

    I felt like attacking them violently when one of them were handling my grandfather like a cheap sack of potatos. Alot of those nurses are lazy porkers that think that their job should be easy and convenient. They should quit and get a job in landscaping or construction because there are smarter people that are more eager to do the job of a nurse the right way.

    • Alby of the Idaho Albys says

      February 17, 2020 at 4:27 pm

      You are just like your grandfather Alby. A cheap sack of potatoes.

      • Alby says

        February 18, 2020 at 12:59 am

        Aren’t Idaho potatos more pricey?

    • Alby says

      February 18, 2020 at 9:51 am

      In fact, there are many oppurtunities and good jobs here that well qualified people are capable of doing but underqualified people get the job instead because they are spiritual suck ups to the phony bible belt that these cowards hide behind for the sake of having the upperhand. If it is such a stressfull job, then why are most of them outta shape with fat lazy attitudes? Maybe they should get behind the medical books so that they could surpass nurse level instead of exchanging calorie infested recipes with eachother and complaining why they are not as rich as a Doctor. Maybe they can read up on how to better the hospital themselves instead of waiting for it to be done for them. As long as B.S. politics fart around Lancrapster, nothing is gonna change except for our wallets when we pay more unnecessary taxes and give more power to the ones that are just gonna chew us up and spit us out and then charge us for the pleasure of doing so.

      • Grandma Goodness says

        February 18, 2020 at 4:09 pm

        Wow. Alby sounds like a well paid, well manicured bundle of christian joy, and probably a whole lot of fun at parties.

        Bless your heart Alby. Bless you sweet little heart.

        • Alexis says

          February 19, 2020 at 6:32 am

          Oh grandma, may I have some of those cookies you bake, you know, the calorie infested recipe handed down to you from great grandma.

  3. Ann says

    February 15, 2020 at 12:56 pm

    There are ratio laws for nurses to beds. If AV was not meeting the standard and they were so under staffed the state would step in.

    Has anyone fact checked this article?

    Did anyone ask for comment from the administration?

    Do the people of Antelope Valley feel that having only one hospital that is for profit the best way to go?

    Do you think that maybe administration is trying to take corrective action and nurses think they should have a say in every decision administration is making?

    To change the culture people will be unhappy.

    Ask the questions.

    Ask them if they have shown up to any of the committees where the real change of a public entity happens.

    Find out the facts before you defame.

  4. Diana says

    February 14, 2020 at 5:59 pm

    It hasn’t changed in the 10 years I was there… this is all the union propaganda.. theres still no breaks or lunches, in fact theres a class action lawsuit in the works for back pay..

  5. NO SUPPORT! says

    February 14, 2020 at 8:10 am

    Even with dual PPO insurance, we’ve had horrific incidents at AVH. One was a crazy racist nurse that mentioned our race and how she was part of the tea-party movement. You many not believe this, but, my husband was in ICU while she came by and spit her venom around, more worrisome is the fact that we are a military family and we were judge by the color of our skin. We have a large family in the valley and trust me when I tell you that we will make sure that none support AVH, unless they clean house, which I highly doubt. Take the time to drive down below, you’ll thank yourself later, UCLA and City of Hope in Duarte have tremendous service, highly recommend.

  6. Pay us living wages!! says

    February 13, 2020 at 10:27 am

    This not happening just in Av hospital, it’s a rampant issue throughout all area hospitals. Frontline hospital workers are underpaid and over worked while upper management sits high up on their stacks of cash they get from quarterly bonuses and high paying salaries benefiting from the backs of hard working frontline staff.

    • Ann says

      February 15, 2020 at 1:04 pm

      Nurses at this hospital have some of the highest wages in the country.

      Why don’t you all publish your wage scale and ask regular people who only make 50 000 with a master’s degree if they think you have a living wage.

      Do you care to share with the public your wage scale and then ask for sympathy?

  7. Noother says

    February 12, 2020 at 10:43 pm

    Last time I was in the emergency room, a male nurse gave so much attitude and was so irritated by a patient it was shocking. The patient said they didn’t have a ride at 1 am and couldn’t walk due to the new cast and the nurse said go home how you came. Referring to the very skateboard the young man broke his foot on. They were nice to me, but my gosh, come on.

  8. Karol says

    February 12, 2020 at 4:38 pm

    To many issues with AV Hospital over the past 20 years. Poor management, inadequate health care, staffing issues, and rundown facilities. They’ll never turn it around. Vote NO for “Measure AV Bond!” Find another route for the future of the AVH without continuing to raise property taxes. A new hospital still does not fix poor leadership, staffing, and management issues. These major issues needed to be addressed decades ago.

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