Latest news with #AssemblyBill2975
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Anaheim Regional Medical Center nurses' union wins pay boost, security upgrades
Registered nurses who work at the Anaheim Regional Medical Center voted to ratify their first-ever labor contract with the hospital on Wednesday night, an agreement they claim will improve patient care. As negotiations carried on, safety remained a top priority for nurses represented by SEIU Local 121RN. The union in April held an info picket outside of the hospital to draw attention to such issues. In the past, nurses and their aides have screened people for weapons and drugs at the hospital's emergency room entrance. While nurses did not gain the walk-through metal detectors they pushed for in bargaining, the hospital has agreed to staff security guards with metal detector wands at different entry points within six months to a year. Security staff will also take over bag searches and provide identification for visitors. 'That's something we're not responsible for anymore,' said Liza Lorenzo, a telemetry nurse who has worked at the hospital for the past 15 years. 'We have more time to do bedside care, as opposed to going through people's belongings, which was not safe for us, as well.' When reached, a spokesperson for AHMC Healthcare, the company that owns the hospital, declined to comment on the contract. The security changes come before Assembly Bill 2975, which the union advocated for and requires hospitals throughout the state to have weapons detection screening policies by March 2027. Nurses also won a minimum 19% pay raise over the four years of the contract. The salary boost comes with additional measures to ensure there are four nurses for every patient at a specialty unit, a ratio mandated by state law. For telemetry units, the nurse-patient ratio is five-to-one. During the pandemic, Lorenzo claimed that the hospital stretched its nurse-to-patient ratios beyond their limits but nurses now have protections in place to hold management accountable. 'We made sure that we have a resource nurse for every five nurses or more,' said Lorenzo, who helped negotiate the contract. 'If there's five nurses in the unit, we will have a resource nurse dedicated for that unit alone. Obviously, better staffing leads to faster response, reduces medical errors and prevents staff burnout.' Nurses are hopeful that the boosted salaries and ratio protections will go a long way toward addressing what they called inadequate staffing at the hospital. The union also proposed forming a pandemic task force following the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic that overwhelmed hospitals in Orange County. The contract guarantees that nurses will have enough personal protective equipment for three months while following U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. 'We're more prepared in the case of another pandemic, as opposed to just scrambling,' Lorenzo said. As nurses also complained about broken-down MRI machines and the lack of running hot water at times, the hospital has also pledged to make timely repairs to medical equipment while addressing other maintenance issues. Lorenzo beamed with pride when speaking about critical provisions of the newly ratified contract, which arrived in less than one year's time since safety concerns first prompted nurses to unionize in August. 'Our efforts have paid off,' she said. 'Now we have our first contract. This is not only for us, but also for our patients and the community.'
Los Angeles Times
04-04-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Union nurses at Anaheim hospital raise safety concerns amid contract talks
The day before key negotiations, dozens of registered nurses at Anaheim Regional Medical Center held an information picket on Wednesday to draw the public's attention to safety issues at the hospital. Mara Flicker, a labor and delivery nurse, walked with fellow nurses represented by SEIU Local 121RN during the action. She stressed that safety is a top priority for nurses — and is a sticking point in trying to win the union's first-ever collective bargaining agreement with the hospital. 'We're trying to get metal detectors or, at least, wands at our doors,' Flicker said. 'My coworkers have collected guns and other weapons. They have to check their patients. It's not safe.' Anaheim Regional Medical Center, which is one of 10 hospitals owned by AHMC Healthcare, is situated next to a neighborhood claimed by a street gang. Safety was a critical workplace issue that led registered nurses to vote overwhelmingly in favor of joining the union in August. Flicker, who has worked at the hospital for about four years, attended negotiations the day after the demonstration and said that management is solely considering security wands at the emergency room, but not at other entrances. 'It makes no sense,' she said. A spokesperson for AHMC Healthcare did not respond to a request for comment made by TimesOC. As of March 2027, hospitals will be required to have weapons detection screening policies as part of Assembly Bill 2975's updates to the state's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board. Flicker and other registered nurses don't want to wait that long. 'We need safety, now,' she said. The union is also raising concerns about what it says are inadequate staffing levels at the hospital. 'We know patients are not being watched the way they should be,' Flicker said. 'Patient care does go down. That's our No. 1 concern.' In addition to safety and staffing, the union also claims the hospital is plagued by critical equipment failure and general disrepair. 'We've had nurses getting shocked by electrical outlets and we've had people getting stuck in elevators,' Roxanne McMahan, who works in the hospital's medical-surgical and telemetry department, said in a news release. 'It doesn't appear that management is taking these problems seriously.' Flicker claimed that an MRI machine has been down for a month, which has led to patients being transferred to AHMC Healthcare's other locations, like Whittier, to be scanned. A Reddit thread from three weeks ago also claimed the hospital didn't have running hot water, something Flicker attributed to a boiler going down. In addition to increased security measures, the union has asked for upgrades to key hospital equipment as well as a pandemic task force to prepare for any future outbreaks of infectious diseases. 'It's been a few months,' Flicker said of bargaining, which began in November. 'Hopefully, we can get this done.'
Associated Press
03-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Xonar Technology Inc. Names Paul Sarnese to Advisory Board
Xonar Technology Inc., developer of next-generation contactless security screening systems, has named Paul Sarnese, a leading healthcare security consultant, to the company's advisory board. Sarnese joins prominent leaders and technology experts on Xonar®'s advisory board as the company launches its AI-empowered TruePort ® screening devices in sports venues and other facilities. Sarnese's experience will be pivotal as Xonar supports California healthcare facilities in complying with Assembly Bill 2975, which mandates the use of enhanced weapons-screening and threat detection devices in hospitals. 'Xonar is committed to delivering the most advanced, portable screening system to all sectors. With Paul joining our advisory board, Xonar welcomes a seasoned individual in the healthcare space highlighting our dedication to providing innovative security solutions to the hospital industry,' says Hans Hufschmid, Xonar's Chairman & Chief Executive Officer. 'We are very pleased to have Paul's expertise guiding us.' With more than 25 years of experience as a security and safety executive, Paul is currently owner of Secured & Prepared Consulting, which has provided numerous companies with customized workplace violence, safety, security, emergency management, and regulatory compliance assessments. He is past president of the International Association of Hospital Security and Safety and is a sought-after speaker and author on workplace safety. ABOUT XONAR TECHNOLOGY INC. Xonar Technology Inc. is at the forefront of security screening innovation, blending advanced multi-sensor technology, cutting-edge image processing, AI, and cloud computing to minimize human error and maximize throughput and accuracy. Xonar offers two products: TruePort ®, a state-of-the-art multi-sensor screening technology using machine learning and artificial intelligence to discern threats from everyday items, regardless of metallic content; and TrueScan TM, an AI-empowered portable X-ray system. TruePort's multi-sensor technology preserves individual privacy and the dual built-in cameras allow for biometric authentication for streamlined ticketing and access control. The Department of Homeland Security has designated Xonar TruePort as a Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology under the SAFETY Act. The National Center for Spectator Sports and Security (NCS 4 ) evaluated Xonar TruePort's ability to detect concealed weapons. The evaluation matrix covered a wide range of functions, including weapon detection, speed of detection, placement detection, alerts, wireless interface, event reporting, outcome reporting, and user interface. The overall composite score of 2.93, out of a possible 3.00, showed that all capabilities were successfully demonstrated. SOURCE: Xonar Technology Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 03/03/2025 08:06 AM/DISC: 03/03/2025 08:06 AM
