Albany Med Nurses sound alarm about PPE and Protocol Problems at the Hospital
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 16, 2020
Contact: Kristi Barnes | kristi.barnes@nysna.org | 646.853.4489
Corey Ellis | corey.ellis@nysna.org | 518.526.4844
**MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TODAY**
With a COVID resurgence in the Capital District, nurses speak out about “disgusting” reused respirators and co-mingled hallway patients
Albany Med nurses release AMC-NYSNA COVID Resurgence Plan, outlining steps the hospital should take to protect the community’s health as COVID cases rise
New York, NY - Nurses from Albany Medical Center will gather in front of the hospital today to highlight conditions that may threaten nurse and patient safety, as the region prepares for a second surge of COVID-19. In the Capital District, newly identified COVID-19 cases have been trending upward since August, and in late September, spiked to their highest rate since July.
After 7 months of the COVID pandemic, nurses are speaking out about the continued lack of preparations and safety protocols at Albany Med. Single-use N95 respirators are still being “decontaminated” for reuse by healthcare workers. Patients in the busy Emergency Department are lined up in hallways, instead of being tested and cohorted in negative pressure rooms to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Nurses will release an AMC-NYSNA COVID Resurgence Plan detailing the steps that Albany Med should take to ensure the safety and health of staff, patients, and the New York Capital Region community. They will call for greater transparency from Albany Med leadership and more collaboration in the ongoing battle against COVID-19.
WHO: Albany Med nurses and community supporters, including The Reverend Peter Cook, New York State Council of Churches and United Church of Christ, Dr. Brenda Robinson, DNP, MSN, RN, Black Nurses Coalition, and the Capital District Labor Federation.
WHAT: Albany Med Speak Out
WHEN: Sunday, October 18 from 12:30PM-1:00PM
WHERE: Corner of Holland and New Scotland Ave, Albany (Across from Albany Medical Center)
VISUALS: Masking and social distancing will be strictly observed. Visuals of disgusting “decontaminated” respirators and copies of the AMC-NYSNA COVID Resurgence Plan will be available.
###
The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) represents more than 42,000 members in New York State. We are New York’s largest union and professional association for registered nurses. For more information, please visit nysna.org.