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County nurses tell supervisors chronic jail understaffing risks detainee health
Summary
Dozens of registered nurses from Santa Clara County custody health urged supervisors to replace leadership and restore staffing after reporting chronic shortfalls and an Elmwood death; nurses said understaffing risks constitute a patient‑safety crisis and urged board intervention.
Good morning. Dozens of registered nurses who work in Santa Clara County custody health told the Board of Supervisors on Dec. 9 that chronic understaffing in county jails is creating dangerous delays in medical and behavioral‑health care.
At public comment, Alan Kumar, a registered nurse at Valley Medical Center and vice president of the Registered Nurses Professional Association, said nurses have escalated concerns through channels including County Executive James Williams and that recent staff turnover and “retaliation” against nurses who speak up have left the system short‑staffed after an Elmwood death last week. “Our nurses are…
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