Gaby Hernandez is often overwhelmed by her workload.
As a lab assistant at CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, she’s watched her department’s staffing drop from three employees to one — one being her.
“I have to draw blood, process it and run it down to the main lab,” the 50-year-old Rosemead resident said. “Sometimes I’ll have one patient waiting, and other times it’ll be 10.”
When that happens, patients who need blood drawn before receiving chemotherapy treatments often have to wait 45 minutes to an hour.
“These people are anxious enough at it is,” Hernandez said. “That just builds up their anxiety even more.”
She and fellow healthcare workers at the medical center plan to stage a picket Thursday, March 16, claiming chronic understaffing is undermining patient care and impacting the hospital’s ability to attract and retain experienced staff.
The rally will be held in front of Hollywood Chalet, an assisted living facility Hollywood Presbyterian owns across the street from the hospital. Employees there also have similar concerns and plan to participate in the rally.
The Hollywood Presbyterian employees — including 747 licensed vocational nurses, medical assistants, respiratory therapists, emergency room workers, lab assistants and housekeepers — are represented by SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West.
They say management has ignored their concerns and they are calling on their employer to address the staffing issue through labor negotiations. Their contract expired Dec. 12, 2022.
In a statement released Wednesday, Hollywood Presbyterian said its priority is “to provide our patients safe, high-quality care and value the voice and well-being of our caregivers.”
“We look forward to future discussions and fair negotiations with the union, as we value the dedication and hard work of all CHA HPMC employees, including SEIU-UHW members,” management said.
Elizabeth George, a certified nursing assistant at the medical…
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