Nurses Describe Dire Conditions in Oregon Hospitals

They say they need help, now.  About 600 Oregon nurses held an on-line summit, about how the pandemic is affecting them and their patients.  

Richard Botterill is an emergency department nurse at Providence Portland Medical Center, where he says, COVID-19 is affecting everything and everyone.

 “We opened up what can only be described as a M.A.S.H. unit on our 9th floor, to care for low acuity COVID patients.  Plastic walls, curtains for the doors.  No ceiling.  No piped in oxygen.”

 Nurse Nicole Hudson, works at Providence Willamette Falls in Oregon City. 

“We all know the nurse staffing crisis didn’t start with COVID-19.   Nurses have been asking hospitals to address short staffing for years.  And hospital executives have ignored us.”

The nurses say their number one problem, is they need more nurses to fight COVID-19 right now.  Plus, any new variants or other pandemics which they believe are inevitable.  They say they need a better system, to keep themselves and patients safer, including adequate personal protective equipment, timely notification for when they’re exposed to COVID-19, and better access to COVID-19 tests.