Hospital in Hemet plagued with staff illnesses amid mysterious odor
Hospital in Hemet plagued with staff illnesses
A hospital in Hemet had to shut down its ICU after reports of an illness outbreak among the staff members.
HEMET, Calif. - An investigation was underway at a Riverside County hospital after workers fell ill following multiple reports of a mysterious odor.
Officials at Hemet Global Medical Center insist the facility is safe, but some workers say otherwise.
What we know:
Last week, workers at the hospital, which is owned by KPC Health, started complaining of a mysterious odor and said it got so bad, the hospital had to clear out the ICU on the fifth floor.
The Hemet Fire Department confirmed they were called out to the hospital three times but can only test for certain gases or hazardous materials, which all came back negative.
"What is it going to take for you to care about your staff’s safety?" asked Jessica Meiner, an ER tech and union shop steward.
Meiner said tending to the sick has made her sick.
She’s been experiencing "dizziness and headaches, and fog and all that stuff. It’s still going on today. It is happening. It is real."
She added, "There is no reason why you should come to work and have a headache where my migraine medication is not working."
Now, the Service Employees International Union, which represents about 500 workers at KPC Health, is calling for more testing.
A union representative said he’s been in contact with OSHA in Riverside and they’re going to investigate.
What we don't know:
The union says they're still trying to determine how many people are complaining of symptoms and what was done or is being done to address it.
Authorities have not confirmed the cause of the mysterious odor.
The other side:
An employee said a memo was handed out at the hospital warning about a sewer gas leak in the ICU that could cause symptoms, including nausea and dizziness.
When FOX 11 spoke to hospital officials, they did not address the memo, but did acknowledge that some parts of the building were temporarily closed for plumbing repairs and said in a statement, "Hemet Global Medical Center remains safe and fully operational."
Dig deeper:
Last year, the hospital had more than five times the state average of complaints, according to the California Department of Public Health database. The complaints included not having enough nurses in some units and the need for more standards and training.
The Source: Information provided by interviews with the Hemet Fire Department, hospital employees and officials, as well as union representatives.