1,500 RNs to Gather in Capitol Tuesday to Protect Hospital Patient Safety at Key State Hearing

RNs to Protest Gov. Schwarzenegger's Proposal to Erode Law, Nurses Will Deliver Over 11,000 Letters to Support Patient Safety Law

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Some 1,500 Registered Nurses from across California will gather in Sacramento Tuesday, January 18 for a major state hearing on the proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to roll back hospital patient safety standards, the California Nurses Association announced today.

When: Tuesday, January 18
Initial Rally: 9:30 a.m., Sacramento Convention Center, 1400 J Street
Hearing: 10 a.m., Sacramento Convention Center, Exhibit Hall D
Jazz Funeral Procession: 12:30 p.m., Convention Center to State Capitol
Capitol Rally: 1 p.m., North Steps, Capitol

Scores of RNs will testify to the Department of Health Services about the
impact of Gov. Schwarzenegger's order, made on behalf of hospital
corporations, that would virtually eliminate safe staffing protections in
emergency rooms, resulting in longer waits for care and more dangerous
conditions for patients, and postpone for three years improved care conditions in general medical units.

Additionally, RNs, other direct-care health professionals, and supporters
will deliver more than 11,000 letters and cards to the governor's office
following a New Orleans-style jazz funeral procession to the Capitol from the hearing led by a Jazz Band, symbolizing the dangers that patients face without safe RN-to-patient ratios. After delivering the letters, RNs will return to the hearing which is scheduled to run until 5 p.m.


"Gov. Schwarzenegger has put California families at risk with his reckless
emergency order to cut back on safe nursing care standards," said Deborah Burger, RN, President of the California Nurses Association. "In this hearing, the thousands of letters and cards to the governor signed by RNs, and the other protest actions of the day, RNs will describe how this disgraceful and illegal proposal will jeopardize patients."

Representing nearly 60,000 nurses at 165 facilities throughout California,
the California Nurses Association is the nation's largest and fastest-growing professional association of Registered Nurses.



SOURCE California Nurses Association
Web Site: http://www.calnurse.org