Nurses United picket at UCMC over patient care, safety concerns

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A group of nurses are picketing outside the University of Chicago Medical Center Monday.

The nurses are protesting what they said is chronic short staffing, insufficient security, faulty equipment and patient care concerns.

"We are committed to providing our patients with the very best care possible on all shifts," said Johnny Webb, RN. "But it is simply impossible to provide the care we want to provide, when we are caring for too many sick patients, when we are forced to leave our patients to search for IV pumps and we are not sure if our patients or our colleagues are at risk of violence."

The nurses are protesting what they said is chronic short staffing, insufficient security, faulty equipment and patient care concerns.

The group, National Nurses United, will also hold a rally to draw attention to their concerns.

The picket and rally is scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in front of Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine on S. Maryland Ave.

University of Chicago Medical Center released a statement that read:

The nurses are protesting what they said is chronic short staffing, insufficient security, faulty equipment and patient care concerns.

Hospital officials said patient care and medical appointments will continue as normal.