Dear Baldwin Park Executive Leadership,

On behalf of FCC RNs, this petition is to halt the proposed competency class to care for higher acuity NICU patients with interventions that include, but are not limited to, high flow oxygen, IV fluids, antibiotics, and TPN. Under the current leadership, you have allowed the practice of floating nurses to a unit with a higher acuity level to care for patients beyond their skill level and scope of practice. You have been disregarding patient safety, risking our RN licenses and risking organizational liability. This practice impacts the delivery of quality care that our smallest and most vulnerable members deserve. This floating practice has caused frustration, dissatisfaction, stress, anxiety, burnout and low morale. Our RNs are leaving Baldwin Park and some are leaving Kaiser Permanente. It has been your responsibility and accountability for appropriate and safe staffing levels.

In the past couple years, the Kaiser Baldwin Park NICU received a Level III designation, but has not made the appropriate accommodations regarding its staffing ratios. This has caused FCC RNs to float almost daily, and subsequent staffing shortages in our own unit. Furthermore, the granting of CDPH Flex staffing for the NICU has led to RNs being out of the DHS and KP contractual ratio of 1:2 when we are given an assignment with 1:3 ratio. This is unsafe. We request a reevaluation of FCC RN floating guidelines to NICU. The needs of the NICU have changed. Thus, the unit has been understaffed, and FCC RNs have been forced to care for higher acuity NICU patients. We want to help our sister unit and float with our previous agreement; non-complicated feeders, growers and patients with hyperbilirubinemia. NICU patients with complicated medications, IVs and oxygen need to receive proper care from NICU RNs. We believe that competency classes for FCC RNs will not solve the NICU staffing issues. The minimal clinical exposure to the more complicated NICU interventions and therapies are still unsafe for NICU patients. It is not about FCC RNs learning new skills. It is about staffing the department with experienced NICU RNs to care for the higher acuity babies, so FCC float nurses can care for the growers and feeders. We applied to work here as postpartum FCC nurses, not NICU float nurses. If the NICU wants to train nurses to be competent in higher level of care, there should be a voluntary transition to practice program. Ignoring this petition will negatively impact and threaten patient safety and our license. This petition is to memorialize our concerns. This is the safest way to speak up since our current work environment is not psychologically safe.