The 23,000 California nurses who went on a strike in solidarity over contract negotiations are returning to work amidst questions about why a patient died of a fatal medication error during the walk-off, according to an Oakland Tribune report.
During the massive strike involving nurses at more than 30 Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health hospitals, an unnamed replacement nurse at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland improperly administered a dietary supplement to a cancer patient, which appears to have led to her death. Nurses, particularly California Nurses Association-National Nurses United, have been quick to blame the incident on replacement nurses' alleged lack of competence and adequate training.
Hospital officials, including those at Alta Bates, have refuted those claims, arguing all replacement nurses have the experience and training to deliver safe care. In addition, they argued replacement nurses are needed in order to be in compliance with the state's patient-to-nurse ratio during nursing strikes.
Still, Alta Bates nurses question replacement nurses' ability, citing the "basic" nature of the medication error and inadequate training on equipment and protocols.
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During the massive strike involving nurses at more than 30 Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health hospitals, an unnamed replacement nurse at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland improperly administered a dietary supplement to a cancer patient, which appears to have led to her death. Nurses, particularly California Nurses Association-National Nurses United, have been quick to blame the incident on replacement nurses' alleged lack of competence and adequate training.
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Hospital officials, including those at Alta Bates, have refuted those claims, arguing all replacement nurses have the experience and training to deliver safe care. In addition, they argued replacement nurses are needed in order to be in compliance with the state's patient-to-nurse ratio during nursing strikes.
Still, Alta Bates nurses question replacement nurses' ability, citing the "basic" nature of the medication error and inadequate training on equipment and protocols.
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