UC-Irvine Hospital Under Scrutiny for Firing Nurses
The California Nurses Association is criticizing UC-Irvine Medical Center for firing 13 nurses in the last three months, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Hospital officials would not comment on why the nurses were dismissed. Four of the nurses have worked at the facility for more than 20 years.
According to the union, the hospital also is investigating a nurse for questioning a recent incident in which a nurse was fired for disclosing too much information in a patient chart about a medication error.
Beth Kean, CNA's director for UC hospitals, said hospital management "is encouraging nurses to report on each other" (Delson, Los Angeles Times, 10/30).
Hospital spokesperson Susan Mancia said terminations are handled on a case-by-case basis.
Contract negotiations have stalled statewide for UC nurses (Perkes, Orange County Register, 10/29).