Nurses and supporters are holding rallies at three Santa Clara County well being amenities on Monday as a part of a day of motion calling on county leaders to assist improved working situations for nurses and better-quality look after sufferers, the Registered Nurses Professional Association mentioned.

The first rally started at 9 a.m. at St. Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy. At midday, a second rally was scheduled at O’Connor Hospital in San Jose. Later within the day, protesting nurses and their supporters had been set to assemble at 3 p.m. at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose.

More than 3,750 nurses within the Santa Clara County Health and Hospital System — represented by the Registered Nurses Professional Association — are presently in contract negotiations with the county. Their final contract expired on Sunday.

Contract negotiations present a chance for nurses to push for enhancements that profit well being care professionals and sufferers alike, the group mentioned.

County nurses have recognized “scary” situations that hurt affected person care reminiscent of quick staffing and below-standard nurse-to-patient ratios. The sufferers who depend on the county’s public well being system ought to have the identical high quality care as those that can afford personal well being care, however that is not the case, in line with county nurses.

Nurses are additionally pointing to a dramatic improve in alleged office violence, together with troubling charges of nurses coping with psychological well being issues, notably because the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These issues, along with pay and benefit packages that are out of step with the local market, make it difficult for Santa Clara County to recruit and retain nurses,” the group mentioned. “Nurses, in turn, have trouble affording to live in the communities they serve.”