Childrens Hospital Fined for Workplace Safety Violations

Oakland Children's hospital faces a fine of more than $10,000 for workplace safety violations according to Cal OSHA, the state's workplace safety agency.

 

 

The state said the most egregious violation was failing to properly protect emergency room workers from violence, especially from gunshot victims dropped off in front of the hospital. (WCxKit)

 

 

Last October, an ER nurse said she and her co-workers found themselves in a dangerous situation saying, “So when we went out to rescue the victim, we were kept outside for a longer period of time than we should have been and harm could have come to the patient because of that.”

 

 

Nurses say they have received no training on how to deal with this or other violent situations such as confrontational patients.

 

 

Hospital officials disagreed with the citation and said that since the October incident they implemented a policy specifically for people who are dropped off outside. "A policy that sends out a security team to assess the scene,” said Chief Nursing Officer Nancy Shibata. “If they deem it as safe, then they'll come back and dispatch the medical team in consultation with the physician in charge." (WCxKit)

 

 

Hospital officials say the safety concern is being over blown by the California Nurses Association in the middle of contentious labor negotiations and say they plan to appeal the citation.