‘I have to sell my jewelry’ | Out-of-work Kapiolani nurses facing hardships as lockout drags on

By Kristen Consillio

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    HONOLULU (KITV) — As September comes to an end, bills are coming due for hundreds of out-of-work nurses at Kapiolani Medical Center.

“I haven’t worked in two weeks and of course my mortgage is going to be due in the beginning of October,” said Kapiolani nurse Paulette Vasu.

A nurse who does not want to be identified says she’s taking desperate measures.

“I have to sell my jewelry and as many things as possible in order to make ends meet,” she said.

That nurse worked with the temporary hires and said it’s a chaotic mess in the hospital.

“It was very upsetting to go back for delivery where nothing was set up and mother wasn’t able to get an epidural,” she said. “No one really knew where supplies were.”

Vasu said she’s afraid everyday for the patients.

“I hear horror stories and it really upsets me because we should be there,” she added.

She’s been taking care of moms and babies for more than 25 years — most recently in the family birth center.

“We have emergencies on our unit. We have Code Crimsons where women are hemorrhaging and bleeding out,” Vasu said. “If you don’t know where the supplies are and you don’t know how to give a certain med, it’s going to be detrimental to the patient.”

With the Hawaii Nurses’ Association (HNA) and hospital now working with federal mediators, the nurses are hopeful.

“I just pray that everything comes to a conclusion.”

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