National Nurses United, fed up with what they call a lack of Ebola protections at hospitals across the country, plan to hold a day of action on Nov. 12.
Kaiser nurses said they will take it a step further by holding a two-day strike, which is expected to garner about 18,000 nurses from 21 Northern California medical centers to walk the picket line.
"Nurses are incredibly concerned," said Katy Roemer, a Kaiser nurse. "We are being asked to care for patients potentially with a deadly virus and put our lives on the line."
Nurses are demanding hospitals provide training and protective equipment for treating patients with Ebola.
"We feel given the risk to us these are really basic issues and there should not even be a discussion," Roemer said. "We feel like it should be a no-brainer."
Gay Westfall, senior vice president for Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, provided the following statement in response to the planned strike:
"The claims CNA is making about Kaiser Permanente's Ebola preparedness, in an attempt to justify a strike, are simply untrue. CNA is well aware of Kaiser Permanente's comprehensive and thorough training and preparation for Ebola."
