Transcript
10 nurses at a hospital in Santa Monica, California have been suspended for refusing to work without N-95 masks.
The nurses were suspended with pay from Providence St. John’s Health Center after they demanded they be given N-95 masks while treating Covid-19 patients.
The nurses said hospital staff told them there were no N-95 masks for them and insisted they wear surgical masks instead, even though other healthcare workers at the hospital were provided N-95 masks.
The hospital said the surgical masks are appropriate personal protection equipment according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization policies.
According to the FDA, N-95 masks are critical in preventing healthcare workers from acquiring coronavirus as they block at least 95% of particulates in the air.
Hospital officials refused to comment but confirmed 10 nurses were put on paid administrative leave.
The suspension comes at hospitals across the country are seeing an overwhelming surge of patients as Covid-19 continues to spread.
Posted – 4.18.20