OC Nurses Protest Lack Of PPE During Coronavirus Outbreak

OC Nurses Protest Lack Of PPE During Coronavirus Outbreak

UC Irvine nurses and their union’s leaders Friday expressed concern about a shortage of personal protection equipment, a furlough of some nurses and the continuation of elective surgeries as recently as last week during the coronavirus pandemic. UCI officials say they do not have a shortage of personal protective equipment, but are being conservative now to prepare for an expected surge that Orange County healthcare officials say could hit the area in a week or two. “We’ve been told by our department that we’re supposed to reuse personal protective equipment,” said Nilu Patel, a UCI nurse anesthetist.