A picket line filled the sidewalk on Worcester's Summer Street, as hundreds of nurses protest staff safety and protection at Saint Vincent Hospital.

"We do not want profits before patients. We feel Tenet Healthcare is diminishing the standard of care in our hospital. We're very proud nurses, this is an honorable profession," Veteran nurse Marlena Pellegrino said.

According to the Massachusetts Nurses Association, the hospital's nurses filed more than 360 reports claiming staffing and patient safety has been jeopardized since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

For nurse Dominique Muldoon, having to battle the coronavirus for so long in these conditions is starting to take its toll.

"Not only are we trying to fight this disease, we're trying to fight to get PPE. We're trying to get clean N95s. Other things like gowns. We're constantly worried about whether there is going to be a shortage today or tomorrow," said Muldoon.

Saint Vincent Hospital was still fully operational Tuesday, even with the picket taking place. 

The hospital said in a statement:

"The Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), the labor union that represents our nurses, is holding an informational picketing event tomorrow outside Saint Vincent Hospital. The hospital will remain fully operational, and our staff’s focus, as always, is on providing exceptional quality patient care.

We are surprised and disappointed that the MNA is holding this public action during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially with cases increasing in our area to levels that we have not seen since May. We are in contract negotiations, and we strongly object to their tactic of disseminating inflammatory and misleading rhetoric to try to advance their position in those discussions. Our staffing guidelines are appropriate, and more generous than most other hospitals in the state. We have appropriate personal protective equipment, and our COVID-19 response plan remains in place.

We value all of our employees, and a picket does not change this. In fact, our current proposal to the union, one of the best in ten years, includes a substantial wage increase and revised wage scale for nurses. We want to get an agreement finalized so we can implement these as soon as possible.

We will continue to negotiate in good faith in hopes of reaching a successful resolution. We are proud of the professionalism and dedication demonstrated by our caregivers and staff during this unprecedented pandemic."

"This corporation chose to furlough nurses we needed at the bed side. They chose to tell nurses to stay home when nurses wanted to come in and take care of patients," Pellegrino said.

"My husband every day, as I'm leaving now he says, 'I hope you have a good day.' Because it's no guarantee anymore," Muldoon said.

Some of the nurses Tuesday say what they're looking for is a good contract. They want improved benefits, but mainly they want better staffing so they can provide better patient care. These contract negotiations are scheduled to start up again on December 15 with a federal mediator.​​