NAGE VA Nurse Deploys to Haiti, More Stand Ready to Volunteer
January 28, 2010
Following the earthquake disaster that struck Haiti, our parent union SEIU partnered with two organizations in their relief efforts—Partners in Health and International Medical Corps—and sought volunteers among the union’s many health care providers. Right now, dozens of union members are already in Port-au-Prince providing medical care and translation services for survivors and more are set to go each week.
One of our own, NAGE Local R3-19 member Simone Adelugba, voluntarily deployed last week to Haiti. Originally from the island nation, Ms. Adelugba is a registered nurse in the Critical Care Unit at the Baltimore Veterans Affairs Hospital.
“We are very proud of Ms. Adelugba and the selflessness she is showing by voluntarily providing her professional services to victims of the earthquake,” said NAGE National President David J. Holway. “Her personal sacrifice and the work she will do in Haiti will undoubtedly save many lives.”
While Ms. Adelugba will be joining other healthcare professionals in Haiti, many more have pleaded with the Baltimore VA to be given the opportunity to serve. Management officials, however, continue to deny their requests.
Both Local R3-19 President Evelyn Cipriaso and National President Holway have urged management to permit more nurses to assist in the relief efforts—but to no avail.
“It’s a disgrace,” said Holway. “We have nurses at the VA who are literally begging to help the millions of people who have been injured in the quake. Many of them will die because of lack of medical care, but this VA management still says, ‘no’” Local President Cipriaso explained that some management officials stated concern that the hospital could face a staffing shortage if more RNs deployed to Haiti. But NAGE learned that, unofficially, the concern was unfounded, particularly because the deployment issue might involve only 2 or 3 more nurses.
“I truly hope that management’s response to all of this has not been spurred by larger internal labor relations issues,” said Holway. “Our members at the Baltimore VA stand ready to volunteer, even offering to use their own accrued leave time. We can only hope that management’s decision not to grant these requests was made in good faith, and on the basis of coverage needs.”
SEIU has created an online card where you can share your thoughts and prayers for those traveling to Haiti (like Simone). Please visit the SEIU Nurse Alliance website.