The nurses at Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women and Children are on strike.
Nurses walked out on Sunday and will continue to picket through 6:59 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 28.
The hospital has brought in a temporary workforce of nurses to continue patient care and operations during the strike.
Representatives from the Hawai‘i Nurses' Association tell HPR they’re uncertain if the temporary nursing support is sufficient.
They formed a rapid response team that can be mobilized during the walkout if the hospital needs them for assistance.
Kapi‘olani’s Chief Operating Officer Gidget Ruscetta said in a statement they were made aware of the response team late Saturday, but asserted that the temporary workforce brought in for the duration of the strike is sufficient enough to cover hospital operations and there will be no disruption to patient care.
Negotiations between the medical center and nurses have been ongoing since September.
The next negotiation sessions are scheduled for Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, which is days after the strike is scheduled to conclude.
