Nurses staged a demonstration Monday morning at Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women & Children over a lockout now into its 10th day.
The Hawaiʻi Nurses' Association said Honolulu police arrested 10 community members who staged a civil disobedience action blocking the hospital driveway.
The union and the hospital were set to resume negotiations at 10 a.m. Monday, but the union said that hospital management asked for a delay until later in the day.
At last check, hospital management was mulling over a counteroffer made by the Hawaiʻi Nurses' Association on Sunday. The two sides have been meeting over the last five days.
Hospital management locked out union nurses after they staged a one-day strike on Sept. 13 over contract negotiations. The nurses' last contract expired in November 2023.
The family of 4-year-old Ava Agbayani, who died in the hospital last week, called for the two sides to settle the contract.
Her father, Tyson Agbayani, said he believes his daughter, who had cerebral palsy, epileptic seizures and chronic lung disease, did not get proper care during the lockout under the watch of traveling nurses.
An emotional candlelight vigil was held at Magic Island on Sunday night.
"I just want to thank you guys so much for supporting our family, for supporting Ava, for bringing her home, you know, for giving us four years with her," Tyson Agbayani said to those gathered. "When I say we owe you guys everything, we do. You know, we're so grateful."
Ava and her sister were born prematurely, and Ava had been in and out of the hospital.
Pastor Joe Onosai, whose daughter works as a nurse at Kapiʻolani Medical Center, offered prayers of healing for all.
"I just want to say thank you for being hope givers. You're the hope dealers of our lives. When things seem dim, you're always giving hope to us, and yet you mourn with the loss, and yet you celebrate when your patients go home," Onosai said. "I know that you guys are unsung heroes in our community, and so we just want to recognize you and say thank you so much, nurses, for all that you do."
Among those who turned out at the event included one of Ava's primary care nurses from Kapiʻolani. She acknowledged that many nurses were there for Ava’s first milestones — and for some of her last in her short life.
Kapiʻolani said in a statement, "Our heart goes out to this family. We treat the sickest and most medically fragile children in our state and the loss of any child is very painful. We are continuing to investigate and at this time we have no reason to believe that what happened was due to the quality of care at Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children."
This interview aired on The Conversation on Sept. 23, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
