Front Line Worker - Jeanne Wehling, L&M nurse and AFT CT

Following are remarks by Jeanne Wehling, nurse at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital and leader of AFT CT Local 5049, at the May Day Rally "International Workers Solidarity: COVID-19 and Beyond hosted by CT People's World on May 3 via zoom. View the entire rally here.

My name is Jeanne Wehling.  I am a Registered Nurse.  I have worked for the past 8 years at L&M Hospital which is part of the YNHHS.   Today I join you as the Political Action liaison with AFT Local 5049.  I have been elected into this role for the past 4 years

This May Day couldn't be occurring at a more poignant time.  We watched COVID-19 come alive in Wuhan China.  This virus spread far and wide.  We watched and listened to their cries for help as each person became infected and oh too many lost.  This virus spread to almost 200 countries and islands. Yet the USA leads in the world in number of cases over 1.1 million!!!  We have lost over 67,000 Americans to this deadly virus. WHY??? When we are the USA.

When the virus hit our shores and was no longer a "hoax" we were unprepared.  We did not have adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).  Our Center for Disease Control (CDC)  lowered the classification of the virus from Airborne to droplet.   

When you think airborne think of TB and tiny particles that with one cough or sneeze spreads wide and far.  Droplet think of the flu larger particles that drop quickly.  This one change put the lives of all Americans at risk.   

What does the public hear. "Stay Home, Stay Safe.".  "Quarantine for 14 days if anyone in your household shows symptoms" "This will flatten the curve and save lives!!!"  

What did we do?  Stay closed to essential business only, schools are now at home.  We are working from home and educating our children at home.  We are celebrating with zoom parties and drive by parades.  We are calling our loved ones and not visiting for the fear that one visit can spread the virus and end their life.

I want to thank you all for doing your part.  You truly are saving lives!!!

I wish I could say the same about us in the hospital.  When we all apply to a position in a healthcare industry we are all vowing to save lives.  From the lowest job to the CEO and all in between.  We in healthcare have taken an oath to do no harm.  I have read the Nightingale Pledge in two different pinning ceremonies.  It is the core of  who we are as healthcare professionals. 

By the CDC changing the standard we are doing harm. We are spreading the virus!  Before Covid 19 1 applied a mask before entering the patient rooms and immediately discarded upon exiting. We were taught that wearing PPE protects not only the nurse however her other patients.  We are keeping those germs with the infected patient only. 

Currently now in the hospital per the CDC and DPH they have lowered those standards putting not only the staff lives in harm's way but also our patient's lives.  When the CDC lowered the standards the hospitals went directly to crisis mode of PPE.  They by passed all the previous steps. 

All of the PPE and cleaning supplies were taken off the floors.  Some stock locked in the managers offices, the rest locked up at the warehouse.  The manager is to leave out only enough for the next 24 hours at the nurses' station.  Typically PPE is in a caddy on the door of the patients with precautions. 

When this was first rolled out, we were given one level 1 mask (not rated for droplet precautions) to be used indefinitely. We have now moved up to one level 1 mask per shift.  Sad to think that this is an improvement.  N95 masks are only being used on our COVID floor, ICU and ER, and rule out patients. We apply the mask at the beginning of our shift taking it off to go home.  That means is if we come in contact with the virus we are then bringing it into each of our rooms. 

My floor has not started taking COVID positive patients yet, we anticipate this week.  However we have had many patients moved to the COVID floor and ICU when they start to rapidly decline or show symptoms. 

We are also no longer being told when a patient does test positive.   The hospital is running under the frame that we all employees have already been exposed and do not need this information.  Again failing to do no harm!!!  This also does not allow us to self quarantine when exposed.  We are not allowed to self quarantine if a family member shows symptoms or becomes positive.  Only if we the member show symptoms.  With each exposure you are not only  increasing your viral load and risk for infection.

More than six weeks ago all three locals at L&M - RN's 5049, TECH 5051 and Healthcare 5123, have asked to negotiate.  The hospital ignored our requests until they wanted to mandate nurses to Greenwich and then Bridgeport. We accepted their offer to bargain.  We stood hard and firm with our members and their concerns regarding the mandate.  The hospital backed down on the mandate portion only.  We still have not come to a memorandum of understanding regarding adequate PPE, safety, incentive for this time of pandemic, workers compensation, paid time off, not using personal PTO and sick time and Familyand Medical Leave Act.

We are working around the clock to keep our patients, our members and the community safe..

Remember STAY SAFE STAY HOME and  WASH YOUR HANDS