UCI Health closed its pediatric care units at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital this week as part of a restructuring that led to 150 workers being laid off across its system, according to a union spokeswoman.
On Wednesday, March 25, the California Nurses Association became the latest union to come forward with news of layoffs affecting its workers.
Also see: Union wants UCI Health to reinstate 150 ‘critical care’ workers
UCI Health laid off 25 registered nurses at the hospital, leading to the closure of its pediatric and pediatric intensive care units, the union said.
Separate from Fountain Valley, the union said 10 per diem employees hired on an “as-needed” basis were laid off, 10 others were reassigned to different areas of UCI Health, and hours were reduced for 129 contractual workers.
A UCI Health spokesman was not immediately available to comment.
More on health care cuts: California hospitals laying off thousands as funding cuts trickle down
A pediatric intensive care unit provides round-the-clock care for critically ill or injured infants, children and teens. Such a unit is staffed by nurses and others who treat severe infections, breathing difficulties, traumatic injuries or recovery from major surgeries. A pedatric unit provides care for stable or moderately ill children.
The Fountain Valley hospital is one of four facilities and outpatient clinics that UCI Health acquired from Tenet Healthcare Corp. for $975 million in early 2024. The transaction also included Lakewood Regional Medical Center, Los Alamitos Medical Center and Placentia-Linda Hospital.
On Tuesday, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 said 44 of its union members were laid off — including respiratory therapists and patient care technical workers. Hours were cut for another 260 people.
The University and Professional and Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America, Local 9119, said this week it was preparing to file an unfair labor practice complaint after 16 of its members were laid off, with another 81 union employees facing a reduction in hours. The complaint was to be filed with the state’s Public Employment Relations Board, which oversees relations between public employers and their employees.
UPTE officials disputed UCI Health officials who said Monday that staff layoffs included a mix of mostly noncritical operational, administrative and support functions across the organization, affecting 1% of the system’s 14,200 employees.
UCI Health serves 5.6 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeastern Los Angeles County.
The system isn’t the first in recent months to cut back on providing care for women.
In October, Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties laid off 81 people as it shuttered Melody Health, its primary care practice. The organization said it made the cuts because the Trump administration blocked Planned Parenthood from receiving federal Medicaid funds.
In late 2024, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital cut 65 jobs, mostly nurses, as it closed its maternal health services unit due to “significant financial challenges,” wrote hospital CEO Armand Dorian in a letter filed with California’s Employment Development Department.
Glendale-based USC Verdugo Hills is a community hospital affiliated with USC’s Keck School of Medicine.
CalMatters has reported that nearly 60 maternity wards have closed across California since 2012, leading to “maternity care deserts” where Black, Latino and low-income communities have become disproportionately affected. Hospitals blame the service cuts on high costs, labor shortages and declining birth rates, according to a 2024 report.
In late 2024, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill designed to slow closures of maternity wards, instead signing legislation that gives communities more time to plan for the loss of such services. Last October, Newsom signed a series of bills to close gaps in maternal and prenatal care for women.
