Palm Springs, CA

Thousands of registered nurses across California will hold coordinated informational pickets on Thursday, July 31, to shine a spotlight on unsafe staffing levels, inadequate training, and deteriorating patient care standards at six Tenet Healthcare hospitals. The action, organized by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU), is not a strike but a public call for change.

Pickets will take place outside the following Tenet facilities:

• Desert Regional Medical Center (Palm Springs)
• Hi-Desert Regional Medical Center (Joshua Tree)
• Emanuel Medical Center (Turlock)
• Doctors Medical Center Modesto
• Doctors Hospital of Manteca
• San Ramon Regional Medical Center

“Nurses are fighting for their patients and their communities,” said Sandy Reding, RN and president of CNA. “Tenet continues to rake in multibillion-dollar profits while refusing to invest in the basic staffing and training measures that save lives. Nurses are exhausted, and patients are paying the price.”

At the heart of the dispute are staffing and training issues the union says are critical for maintaining safe, high-quality care. Nurses are demanding:

• Dedicated lift support staff to prevent nurse injuries
• Rapid-response nurses on every shift to handle emergencies
• Break relief nurses so staff can rest during 12-hour shifts
• Adequate orientation—12 weeks for new graduates and 10 days for experienced hires

“Despite Desert Regional being a level-one trauma center and a comprehensive stroke center, Tenet has shamelessly told us they don’t want to staff for ‘what ifs,’” said Rachel Garcia, RN, an ICU nurse at Desert Regional. “A rapid response nurse isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. Tenet is squeezing compassion out of nursing.”

The CNA, which represents nearly 3,000 nurses at the six affected facilities, formally notified Tenet on July 21 of its intent to picket. Nurses stress that Thursday’s actions are meant to inform the public—not disrupt patient care.

In Palm Springs, nurses will gather for their informational picket at Desert Regional Medical Center from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. outside the hospital at 1150 N Indian Canyon Dr.