Wilcox nurses holding candlelight vigil for ‘unsafe staffing conditions’ this evening

The nurses of Wilcox Medical Center are holding a candlelight vigil to stand in solidarity with the nurses of Kapi‘olani Medical Center on Monday, Sept. 16, who were recently “locked out” following a one-day strike amid contract contention.

As reported by Hawai’i News Now, the one-day strike concluded Saturday, Sept. 14, at 6:59 a.m. About 600 nurses, represented by the Hawaiʻi Nurses Association, attempted to return. However, hospital officials say they will not be allowed to work until after agreeing to the current offer.

“The nurses in Honolulu have refused to agree to the contract terms because the hospital failed to address their concerns about patient safety and safe staffing and instead resorted to unfair labor practices, including bullying and intimidation to silence the nurses,” according to a recent press release from the nurse’s association about the upcoming vigil.

The Wilcox nurses also aim to raise awareness about “their hospital’s unsafe patient conditions due to poor staffing.”

“Studies show safe staffing — an appropriate number of patients assigned to a nurse during a shift — lowers patient mortality rates, reduces the length of time patients must remain in the hospital, and increases patient satisfaction. Correspondingly, patient deaths rise because of unsafe staffing,” the statement says.

The vigil will run from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Wilcox Medical Center located at 3-3420 Kuhio Hwy. in Līhu‘e.

The event comes one month after a rally at the Hawai’i State Capitol on Aug. 16, when nurses of Wilcox Medical Center joined Oʻahu hospital staff to demand safe nurse-to-patient ratios.