PRESS STATEMENT: Statement by Nurse Fired after Protesting Unsafe Staffing at St. Francis Medical Center
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 21, 2023
Scott Byington, RN, a consistent and vocal activist against unsafe patient care practices at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, was fired yesterday—just days before Christmas—by the hospital’s owner, Prime Healthcare.
Scott was a mobile critical care nurse—part of an elite unit who respond to emergencies throughout the hospital every day. Scott worked at SFMC for 28 years since his hire in 1995. He is the president of the St. Francis Registered Nurses Association, which represents the RNs who recently ratified a new union contract with Prime and SFMC.
Prime fired James Blankenship, RN, on the same day—a St. Francis telemetry nurse who also took a highly public stand for safe staffing at the hospital. Five other health care workers at St. Francis, all members of the bargaining team for SEIU-UHW, currently on strike, were also fired after raising concerns about understaffing and patient safety.
Scott’s statement about the firings:
“How shameful for a multi-billion dollar health care company to intimidate and terminate health care workers who attempt to notify them of ongoing patient safety issues. These are the same health care professionals who cared for their patients during the pandemic when health care workers were scarce. Instead, Prime corporate turns a blind eye to the many poor patient safety issues leading to many witnessed poor patient outcomes disenfranchising the patients, families, and communities.”
Media Contact: Jeff Rogers | press@unacuhcp.org | 909-263-7230