Title
Encouraging United Hospital administration to increase workplace safety for clinical staff during the impact of COVID-19.
Body
Whereas, Saint Paul is home to a world class, robust and highly valued health care community including premiere hospitals and dedicated health care workers; and
Whereas, according the City of Saint Paul Department of Planning and Economic Development, one of the top employment sectors in Saint Paul is health care and social assistance; and
Whereas, according to Governor Tim Walz, “First responders keep Minnesotans and their communities safe and help ensure that critical services continue to be provided - and it is imperative to protect their health and safety;” and
Whereas, during this unprecedented crisis, concerns have been brought to the attention of Saint Paul City Councilmembers related to the workplace safety of clinical staff at United Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
Whereas, Councilmembers have received reports that clinical staff at United Hospital who are working directly with patients, including those who have contracted COVID-19, are not being provided with hospital-issue scrubs and it was reported that these clinical staff are required to bring their own scrubs and use these in areas contaminated with COVID-19; and then bring these contaminated scrubs into their homes to be laundered; and
Whereas, given the directives to the general public to avoid the spread of COVID-19, requiring hospital staff to remove contaminants from the hospital would violate these directives and put the public at risk; and
Whereas, lack of access to scrubs has been reported to be part of a larger trend of not prioritizing the safety of health care workers and patients because they don’t have the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), isolation rooms for COVID-19 patients, education, and communication from their employers, and
Whereas, such policies would pose a clear risk to patients, staff and the broader community; and
Whereas, it has also been reported that clinical staff who have objected to these policies are currently being subjected to disciplinary proceedings that could result in termination; and
Whereas, the impact of disciplinary action during the pandemic is shockingly aggressive and demoralizing to these health care first responders, therefore, be it
Resolved, the Saint Paul City Council urges United Hospital Administration take immediate action to work with clinical staff to ensure the highest level of protection and support for these critical workers who comprise our community’s front line in this pandemic, and be it further
Resolved, the Saint Paul City Council urges United Hospital Administration to forego further disciplinary action related to these policies and reinstate any such disciplined workers to good standing.