We the RNs at Emanate Hospital have continued to work tirelessly throughout the course of the current COVID-19 pandemic to provide the best care we can to our patients despite limited resources and staff. We have continued to bring these concerns to our supervisors/managers, directors, Human Resources, and our Chief Nursing Officer; many of which remain unresolved or unchanged. One of the main concerns for nurses is a severe lack of staff. The hospital has assured they are trying to hire nurses but have failed to hire ancillary staff which would be a great support for exhausted nurses. RNs caring for COVID-19 positive and PUI patients believe that an incentive would increase the chances of improving staffing levels. COVID-19 positive patients, victims of a novel virus, require consistent care in highly specialized settings to ensure their safety and the safety of others in the Hospital. Now more than ever, given the state of crisis we are in, proper staffing and proper patient assignments are crucial to optimal patient safety alongside readily available Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Emanate says it is ‘safe’ to come to the hospital but as nurses in the frontline we disagree; the Hospital currently allows Nurses and staff to continue working while COVID-19 positive and asymptomatic without requiring a COVID-19 negative test before resuming work. The Hospital should require staff to quarantine and ensure said quarantine through paid administrative leave and should mandate a negative test prior to returning to work.

In conclusion, we hope the hospital will recognize the dire need for adequate safe staffing and the necessity to invest in staff for the benefit of our patients, healthcare workers and the hospital. We look forward to seeing the implementation of these requests by the Hospital and further collaboration efforts to provide care so we can truly Emanate.