FilAm Nurses' Criminal Case Hearing Set

Maria Sunantha Quibilan
Asianjournal.com

TEN nurses from the Philippines and their attorney who are facing criminal charges in New York for conspiracy and child endangerment are scheduled for trial on January 28.




TEN nurses from the Philippines and their attorney who are facing criminal charges in New York for conspiracy and child endangerment are scheduled for trial on January 28.

On April 7, 2006, the nurses resigned from their jobs at Avalon Gardens in Smithtown. All claimed to have been subjected to demeaning and unfair working conditions, such as being sent to work at facilities they never signed up for and being made to perform tasks below their job descriptions. In addition, there were complaints regarding work schedules and salaries.

The 10 were joined by 16 other Filipino nurses and one physical therapist who also quit their posts at other facilities but were not criminally charged because they were not caring for terminally ill children.

According to the prosecutors, the 10 nurses’ resignation without notice jeopardized the lives of the terminally ill children they were in charge of monitoring. Although none of the patients suffered ill effects, the allegation states that the nurses were aware that their sudden resignations would make it difficult to find replacements.

Lawyers for the 10 nurses, however, claim that one of the nurses, Maria Theresa Ramos, had stayed behind while letters of resignation were being submitted. They assert that Ramos remained on duty for an additional four hours past her shift to make sure the patients would be given proper attention and care.

If convicted, the nurses could serve up to a year in jail on each of 13 counts, have their nursing licenses revoked and face deportation.

The nurses have the support of the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), as well as several Filipino organizations in the US.

On June 1, 2007, ANA and NYSNA issued a press statement condemning the exploitation of immigrant nurses by unscrupulous US employers and calling for better enforcement of immigration laws.

“These brave nurses deserve the nursing community’s full support because they refused to remain in a situation where patients were being denied the kind of care and staffing they deserved,â€