St. Francis medical workers return to picket lines

Hundreds of medical personnel at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood Tuesday are entering their second day on strike, part of a five-day walkout that started Monday.

The walkout began at 6:30 a.m. and is aimed against Prime Healthcare which owns hospitals in 14 states.

The medical workers plan to march, picket and chant because of what their unions call chronically dangerous short staffing and patient care practices. The union says St. Francis has been losing registered nurses since Prime bought the hospitals in 2020.

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In 2017, registered nurse turnover at St. Francis was 24.01%, according to reports from the unions.

In 2022, the national average for registered nurse turnover was 22.5%. From 2020 to 2022, registered nurse turnover at St. Francis more than doubled to 50.42%.

St. Francis registered nurses have filed more than 6,000 staffing objection forms with the California's Department of Public Health since June.

There are 600 registered nurses represented by UNAC/UHCP striking at St. Francis and 900 other health care workers -- including nursing assistants, medical assistants, vocational nurses, emergency room technicians, respiratory therapists, and environmental service aides -- represented by SEIU-UHW. The 900 SEIU-UHW health care workers were striking at Prime hospitals in Centinela, Encino and Garden Grove on Monday.

Prime Healthcare has released the following statement in response: 

"We continue to bargain in good faith with union leadership with the goal of reaching agreements in the best interests of our hospitals, employees, and most importantly, those who we serve. Proposals have been delivered to the unions that would increase wages and provide comprehensive benefit programs, including healthcare, that is among the best in the nation at little to no cost to employees.  We believe the current proposal benefits all our employees and hope to reach an agreement so we can continue our mission of providing compassionate, quality care to patients. While we are disappointed that the unions have elected to move forward with a strike, we respect their right to strike as part of the negotiation process. Throughout the strike, our hospitals will remain committed to serving patients and open with qualified staff to care for our community.

 St. Francis has a special story having been rescued from bankruptcy by Prime Healthcare during the pandemic. St. Francis has been able to further its 77-year legacy of service with Prime investing more than $36 million in improvements to the hospital, saving jobs and enhancing the hospital’s infrastructure, equipment, technology, clinical resources, and staffing to help St. Francis continue to be one of the most trusted sources for healthcare in Southeast Los Angeles. St. Francis has achieved national patient safety and quality awards, including an "A" rating in patient safety from the Lown Institute and the Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award from American Heart Association/American Stroke Association in 2023. St. Francis also earned accreditation as a Geriatric Emergency Department by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), recognizing the hospital’s commitment and ability to deliver the highest standards of care for older adults within the community. The hospital has also earned commendation from local and state leaders.  None of this would have been possible without our dedicated staff.  We are committed to ensuring a workplace that honors their work and continues to provide lifesaving care for the most vulnerable.

Similarly, all of Prime’s hospitals including St. Francis have been recognized for their award-winning care and service, earning "A" ratings from the Lown Institute for social responsibility, patient safety and clinical excellence, and many have been named among the nation’s "100 Top Hospitals" and "Best Hospitals" according to US News & World Report.

 Every health system across the nation is facing challenges due to the national nursing and healthcare worker shortage.  Despite this, enormous efforts have been made to recruit, hire, and retain our valued staff and create a workplace that feels like community.  Our hospitals emphasize a safe and healthy work environment, offering support and growth opportunities through continuing education, tuition reimbursement, career development, clinical ladder programs and a robust employee assistance program to support mental health and wellness. We place patient and staff safety as our top priority, and these efforts are reflected by our hospitals’ recognition by national organizations as among the highest-performing hospitals across the United States.

 Since the start of the pandemic, more than five million healthcare professionals have left their jobs. To support our caregivers and communities through these trying times, Prime Healthcare has put forth extensive resources and nationwide strategies to recruit and retain talented professionals to continue providing high-quality healthcare. We have implemented processes to expedite hiring timelines, placing highly trained staff in positions to advance our mission and care for patients in the safest way possible.

 In addition, Prime Healthcare has invested tens of millions of dollars in improvements to these hospitals, improving infrastructure, equipment, technology, clinical resources, and staffing so they may be able to deliver even greater care to their patients and communities. Together with all our valued caregivers, we look forward to reaching agreements and upholding our hospitals as the best place to give and receive quality, compassionate care."