‘We hope it doesn’t get there,’ but Bellingham hospital planning for coronavirus surge

The Washington State Nurses Association, which represents 900 nurses at St. Joseph hospital, said in a statement released Saturday supporting Dr. Lin said that it has filed a complaint with the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries over what it believes is the hospital’s failure to provide a safe work environment.

“Our members on the front lines at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham report that they have run out of proper gowns to care for suspected and positive COVID-19 patients, are being directed to re-use and share personal protective equipment (PPE) without proper cleaning per manufacturer guidelines, are being given one surgical mask per day and being told to keep it in a paper bag between patients, and other unsafe measures,” the association said.