Nurses in California started a two-day strike Tuesday to protest the handling of Ebola patients, saying they need better equipment and better training to deal with the disease. There are no reported cases of Ebola in the United States. It is expected to impact at least 21 Kaiser Permanente facilities and 35 clinics.
The California Nurses Association says the threat of Ebola underscores the ongoing needs of caregivers nation-wide. There were as many as 20,000 nurses who went on strike Tuesday and protested at Kaiser Permanente facilities in Northern California, according to an Associated Press report.
California Hospital Association spokesman Jan Emerson-Shea said the walkout was part of ongoing contract talks between the nurses and Kaiser Permanente hospitals. The two sides have been in negotiations since July. Kaiser is remaining open during the walkout, which will end Thursday at 7 a.m. Some routine appointments and some elective procedures, though, may be rescheduled.
