Nurses at Orange County Global Medical Center Vote to Join Union

Nurses Advocate for Better Care Through Unionization

In a significant move, registered nurses at KPC Health’s Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana, California, have voted decisively to join the California Nurses Association (CNA), which is part of the National Nurses United (NNU), the largest union for registered nurses in the United States. The vote, held on Thursday, June 4, saw an overwhelming 91 percent of nurses in favor of unionization.

Fred Camungao, a dedicated registered nurse in the psychiatric unit for over 16 years, stated, “I have been a nurse at Orange County Global Medical Center for 16 years. I’ve dedicated my life to working here because this hospital, my coworkers, and my patients have been my community.” Camungao emphasized the need for a union to ensure nurses have a voice in advocating for patient care, as well as recruiting and retaining qualified staff.

The 282-bed facility's nurses highlighted the importance of having a say in critical decisions that impact their ability to deliver quality care. They expressed concerns over challenges such as insufficient staffing, malfunctioning equipment, and being assigned to units beyond their expertise.

Hyejin Park, an emergency department nurse, commented on the situation: “Our patients deserve the best care and our nurses deserve the tools, support, and staffing to provide that care.” Park believes that the union will enable them to uphold safe staffing levels and implement effective workplace violence prevention measures.

Following the vote, CNA now represents 550 nurses at Orange County Global Medical Center. This adds to the CNA's presence at five KPC Health hospitals, including locations in Santa Ana, Anaheim, Orange, and Hemet, covering a total of 1,600 nurses across the network.

California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.

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