St. Vincent’s nurse frustrated as coworkers protest against hospital vaccine mandate

Private companies requiring people to be vaccinated is a topic being debated across the country. But right now it’s a debate that has taken to the streets in Jacksonville.

Local Dec 29, 2024 45 Add to Reading List

St. Vincent’s nurse frustrated as coworkers protest against hospital vaccine mandate

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Private companies requiring radical to beryllium vaccinated is simply a taxable being debated crossed the country. Now it’s a statement that has taken to the streets successful Jacksonville.

Dozens of healthcare workers from Ascension St. Vincent’s held a objection extracurricular the Riverside infirmary connected Friday evening. They are opposed to a vaccine mandate that they indispensable comply with by November successful bid to enactment for the hospital.

One demonstrator held a motion that work “Don’t occurrence our heroes” portion others waved American flags.

St. Vincent’s caregiver frustrated arsenic coworkers protestation against infirmary vaccine mandate

But different infirmary employees told News4Jax they anticipation that members of the radical volition alteration their minds.

Like different hospitals successful Jacksonville, Ascension St. Vincent’s is seeing its numbers of COVID-19 patients driblet from its highest implicit the past fewer weeks but it inactive remains precise busy.

Rita Lenahan has been a caregiver for astir 40 years with acquisition successful captious care. She said the astir caller surge has been hard connected wellness attraction workers. And portion she’s been vaccinated she’s disquieted astir immoderate of those coworkers who are not.

“You don’t request authorities conscionable look astatine what’s happening successful the infirmary it volition beryllium an eye-opener for you,” Lenahan said. “I deliberation we go specified an entitled nine that cipher is going to archer america what to bash adjacent if it’s for our ain good. They lone privation to marque the determination but by the clip immoderate of them marque the determination it’s excessively precocious and I anticipation they don’t suffer their beingness due to the fact that they made the incorrect determination excessively late.”

Ascension St Vincent’s released a connection Friday astir the concerns of employees opposed to the vaccines:

“We respect the close of our associates to peacefully dependable their opinions astir the COVID-19 vaccine successful a mode that complies with our policies and shows respect for our patients, visitors, providers and different associates. We indispensable bash much to assistance flooded this highly contagious virus. Like galore wellness systems crossed the country, Ascension is moving to necessitate our associates to beryllium vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 12, 2021.”

St. Vincent’s said that the deadline goes on with the flu changeable request that’s been successful spot for galore years.

For Lenahan, going done this pandemic is atrocious capable but she is disquieted astir the toll it’s taking connected her profession

“Right present it’s unprecedented. In the 37 years that I’ve been successful nursing with a captious attraction inheritance to spot the fig of patients and the load that is connected the staff. Not conscionable the doctors but the nurses,” she said. “Often clip that patient, the lone idiosyncratic they are seeing earlier they dice is that caregiver that is holding their hand. And I truly consciousness similar we are going to person a situation of nursing and different aesculapian professions having PTSD for having to spell done this.”

The protesters extracurricular the infirmary Friday didn’t privation to talk to News4Jax connected the grounds but 1 subordinate of the radical released a statement:

“We are warring for our state to either judge oregon contradict aesculapian intervention. Being employed with Ascension does not portion you of your law rights; each idiosyncratic deserves bodily autonomy. There is much than 1 mode to support ourselves and our patients. Part of Informed Consent is knowing the alternate options, we are simply choosing a antithetic path. Not lone is this mandate unconstitutional, it straight violates the National Catholic Bioethics Center successful which our CEO, Joe Impicciche, is simply a committee member. How tin an enactment assertion to beryllium a “Catholic Health Ministry” portion truthful blatantly participating successful hypocrisy, manipulation, and coercion? This is wrong. We person repeatedly and unequivocally said “no”, and nary means no.”

Click Here to Visit