San Bernardino County Nurses Report 125 Unsafe Incidents in 2024 at ARMC as Result of Chronic Staffing Shortages

Registered nurses working for San Bernardino County spoke out during public comment at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, August 6, voicing urgent concerns over severe patient safety issues stemming from chronic short staffing. Over the past six months, nurses at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) have reported more than 125 incidents of unsafe patient care due to a lack of sufficient staff. The nurses, represented by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU), are demanding immediate action to address these issues, citing the county’s failure to recruit and retain nursing talent.

“This is unacceptable,” said Diana Lucatero, a registered nurse in ARMC’s medical intensive care unit. “We must stand behind our hospital’s mission statement and make the necessary changes to provide our community with a hospital that focuses on maintaining the highest standards in patient care. The safety of our patients needs to be the top priority.”

Currently, more than 300 nursing positions remain vacant at ARMC, highlighting what the nurses call a crisis in care that is driving many to leave the profession. They are demanding a new contract as their current agreement, which expires in October 2024, does not adequately address the staffing and safety concerns.

Staffing Crisis Endangers Patient Safety

According to the CNA/NNU, in April 2024, there were 411 vacancies countywide, with 317 of them at ARMC. However, when nurses requested a list of vacancies from ARMC, only 161 positions were listed. “When we asked ARMC for a list of vacancies, it only showed 161,” said Veronica Morales, an RN in ARMC’s case management unit. “After reaching out to HR, we were told these were ‘approved-to-fill’ vacancies, but prior reports didn’t reflect that approval.”

Lucatero described the direct impact these staffing shortages have on patient care, particularly in intensive care. “Before the pandemic, we could get our ventilated patients up for walks. Now, due to staffing issues, our patients are weakening day-by-day as we don’t have the staff or resources, making it tougher to rehabilitate them.”

This is not an isolated issue at ARMC. Nurses across the county, in departments ranging from public health and behavioral health to the sheriff’s and probation departments, report similar problems that stem from inadequate staffing and poor working conditions.

Urgent Calls for Change

The union has been pressing the county for a new contract that guarantees better working conditions and higher standards of patient care. “Providing the resources needed to care for our patients and our community in the way they should be cared for is crucial,” said Leslie Oyes, a burn unit nurse at ARMC. “Prioritizing recruitment and retention of nurses during these negotiations is paramount to resolving the nurse staffing crisis the county has been struggling with for years.”

Oyes emphasized that the county’s failure to address the ongoing crisis puts both patients and nurses at risk. “We urge the Board of Supervisors to make safe patient care a top priority and provide RNs with the support we need to give the best care possible.”

Stacy Medina, a registered nurse in ARMC’s labor and delivery unit, voiced concerns over management’s ability to cancel nurses mid-shift, further compounding the problem. “We are already short staffed, and now management wants the ability to cancel nurses? This only hurts our patients. To ensure we provide the highest standard of care, we need a strong union contract that provides fair wages, benefits, and essential working conditions to attract and retain skilled nurses.”

A Misconception About Nurse Shortages

Despite claims of a national nurse shortage, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing shows that more than 166,000 registered nurses in California alone have active licenses but are not working in the state’s hospitals. Nationwide, over a million RNs hold active licenses but have opted not to work at the bedside, citing unsafe working conditions as a primary factor.

“The county needs to invest in nurses to prevent short staffing by improving working conditions and providing a safe and healthy environment,” said Morales. “We are demanding the county to do the following: prioritize RN retention and recruitment, staff by acuity according to Title 22, including state-mandated nurse/patient ratios at all times, prioritize patient care and safety of nurses, workers, and patients, provide a dedicated meal and break coverage in compliance with SB 1334, and finally—respect the union right of nurses and our role as patient advocates.”

As the nurses await a response from the Board of Supervisors, they remain firm in their demands for a union contract that will address these pressing issues and ensure safer conditions for both nurses and patients alike.

“The community deserves better,” said Lucatero. “We need a contract that reflects our commitment to providing the highest standards in care, and that starts with the county investing in its nurses.”