DC nurses worried about plans to re-open schools

DC nurses warned that school re-opening plans are putting “the health of the students, teachers, families, and the larger community at risk.” As of last week, the District of Columbia Nurses Association (DCNA) said, “our members have reported that many nurses have not received adequate protective gear, the health suites are not properly ventilated, no protocols for isolation rooms, temperature checks and other safety measures have been implemented to date and the health suites have not been cleaned.” The union said that Director of DC Health Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt responded dismissively to the union’s recommendations, and did not engage with DCNA in any way. “Nurses like all others want the schools open but the safety concerns have not been prioritized to date,” said Thedith Moore, Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and President of the LPN unit of School Nurses for DCNA. “We can do this but we all need to be at the table working together.”