Dear SEIU Local 121RN Member,

Yesterday, I sent another letter to your hospital administrator. These ongoing official Union communications from me to your hospital administrator will continue to be a critical part of our work to drive urgent action in your hospital.

In the letter, I requested information on the hospital’s plans and policies regarding PPE and other resources that may be in short supply due to COVID-19.

Below are a few specific areas of information that I requested from your hospital administrator:

1. Has the hospital initiated its Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) with the county Emergency Medical Services agency (EMS)? If so, please provide information on the date of filing and by whom;
2. Copies of the hospital specific HICS and Incident Action Plan forms for COVID-19;
3. Information on whether there is currently a shortage of PPE in the hospital, including which PPE, and the extent of the shortage (N95 masks, gowns, gloves, splash/face guards, eye protection, foot coverage-low and high styles; and shortages in any specific sizes);
4. How many days the hospital estimates the current supply of PPE, and specifically N95 masks, will last;
5. The hospital’s latest plan (or updated guidelines) for distributing PPE to workers;
6. The hospital’s plan for rationing PPE or addressing the problem in the event the hospital runs out or there are not enough to meet safety guidelines, including plans by department if applicable;
7. A copy of any and all requests for PPE that the hospital has made to the County Department of Public Health or any other County entity, and a copy of any responses;
8. A copy of any and all requests for PPE that the hospital has made to the California Department of Public Health or any other State entity, and a copy of any and all responses;
9. A copy of any and all requests for PPE that the hospital has made to the any Federal entity or official, the status of the requests, and a copy of any and all responses;
10. Information on any requests for PPE that the hospital plans to make from outside entities, including the type and amount of requested equipment, and the timeline in which the request is planned.

I also asked for any other information or plans that your hospital can share with you.

In addition to this request for vital information, I offered the Union's resources to assist in ensuring safe care.

By now, your hospital should have submitted an official Resource Request through the County for State-issued PPE supplies. If they have not, I requested an urgent discussion with hospital management as soon as possible, and some employers have started responding with an agreement to discuss these urgent matters. I will keep you posted on any new developments.

Sincerely, Rosanna Mendez Executive Director, SEIU Local 121RN

P.S. Please continue to reach out to your Stewards and your Union Rep/Organizer with concerns and suggestions. (If you don't know who they are, you can look them up here.)