GRASS VALLEY, Calif,. August 6, 2026 – Earlier today registered nurses, patients and caregivers protested planned layoffs in the Family Birth Center and reductions in Ambulatory Treatment Center hours at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital.
According to a media advisory by the California Nurses Association, “CommonSpirit sent out formal notices in June announcing their intention to lay off five nurses from the Family Birth Center and two nurses from the Ambulatory Treatment Center. CommonSpirit is also proposing to cut the Ambulatory Treatment Center hours, which currently can be extended past 5:00 pm during the week and opened to patients on the weekend.”
Lizary Jones, a registered nurse who works in the Family Birth Center emphasized that labor and delivery nurses support families through both the happiest and unfortunately, at the saddest moments of their lives. “We celebrate the joys with you and we embrace you in the really hard moments.”
As the nurses were talking, some of them received text messages asking if they were available to work in the Family Birthing Center today. One text message read in part, “Call back pay plus ESP approved for day shift today in FBC. We are looking for more help now-0730 in FBC.” A similar text for a night shift was also reviewed by YubaNet. Nurses wondered how CommonSpirit could propose layoffs when even now they were running short of nurses.
The same concerns exist for the Ambulatory Treatment Center (ATC) where many local patients receive infusions and other treatments. Proposed staffing cuts and a reduction in service hours impose a hardship on patients who continue to work through their cancer treatment, according to several nurses we spoke to.
Asked what the next steps for the nurses are, CNA rep Asella Blood replied, “You know, our goal is to come to an agreement that is safe for patients and the community.”
We reached out to Dignity Health and a spokesperson provided the following comment: “At Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, the safety of our caregivers and patients is our highest priority. We recognize and respect the right of individuals to participate in today’s event. Hospital operations were not affected.”
