Coronavirus: Nurses At Providence St. John's Health Center In Santa Monica Protest Alleged Lack Of PPE

SANTA MONICA (CBSLA) — Dozens of nurses protested outside of a Southern California hospital in Santa Monica on Saturday over claims that the hospital is lacking personal protective equipment (PPE).

The protesters stood outside Providence St. John's Health Center, indicating that they refuse to work with patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 until the hospital provides them with better PPE, like N95 masks. The group also alleges that some nurses have been placed on administrative leave.

"We walk into the rooms with the same protection that you need to go to a grocery store as basic surgical masks. You can't even go to Pavillions without a surgical mask. Well, they're are giving us the same equipment to go into a patient that's coughing in our face without the proper mask," said one protester.

The nurses say they are willing to use a single N95 mask per shift.

The hospital said earlier last week:

"We always have and always will provide the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, to our caregivers, as recommended by the CDC, WHO, LACDPH, and other healthcare organizations," a statement read. "We respect differing opinions to these guidelines but have chosen as a national healthcare system to follow them."