Nurses is San Luis Obispo take part in national day of action protest

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Nurses in San Luis Obispo held a protest Wednesday. They demanded more protection for health care workers and patients.

The protest took place at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center.

National Nurses United (NNU) held more than 200 protests across the country Wednesday to demand action from elected leaders and hospital employers, according to the union.

RNs said they also want the the Senate pass the HEROES Act, a pending bill that would ensure domestic production of PPE through the Defense Production Act and mandate that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration establish an emergency temporary standard on infectious diseases. It would also provide needed economic help.

Tenet Health Central Central Coast sent NewsChannel 12 a response to the protest:

"Our hospital is fully operational and our staff's focus, as always, is on providing exceptional quality patient care. While we value all of our nurses who are represented by the CNA, we are disappointed that the union is taking this action. The demands of COVID-19 have placed a great strain on all California hospitals and we remain committed to protecting the health and safety of our patients and staff. We continue to follow the guidelines set by the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We take immense pride in the extraordinary professionalism and dedication our physicians, nurses and other staff have demonstrated every day in caring for our COVID-19 patients. This work has not been easy, but they have risen to the challenge during this unprecedented pandemic."