A union representing nurses at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston raised concerns about the hospital’s coronavirus readiness in a letter being circulated on social media.

The nurses alleged they had not received coronavirus training, even though hospital officials told them they were meeting daily to prepare, according to the letter dated Monday.

A number of people have been tested for coronavirus in the region, but so far none of those tests has been positive.

St. Joe’s has a different take on what’s happening at the hospital.

Coronavirus education has included a skills fair to review the latest protocols from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as mock drills on how to care for patients with respiratory symptoms, said hospital spokeswoman Samantha Skinner in an email.

Union officials declined to elaborate on the letter. Val Holstrom, secretary-treasurer, whose name is on the letterhead of the union message, declined to comment through a woman who answered the telephone at the office of Teamsters Local Union No. 690 in Spokane.

The letter, the woman said, is a confidential, internal document.

A number of issues worry nurses, the letter indicates. Nurses on duty sought instructions from their superiors over the weekend when the hospital admitted several patients showing coronavirus symptoms, who were tested for the illness, according to the letter.

“Directors and managers had no answers, but upper level management made statements to (registered nurses) like, ‘We have a plan, but we are not prepared to share it at this time, nor is there a need at this point,’ (or) ‘This (coronavirus) is no different than the regular flu.’ ”

The hospital has a “robust” emergency operations plan already in place that’s practiced all year and coordinates its efforts with Public Health-Idaho North Central District, Skinner said.

The nurses were also concerned about the availability of personal protective equipment, according to the letter, which stated that gear has been removed in what the nurses described as an attempt to limit theft.

“There has been inadequate communication with (registered nurses) in regards to accessing (personal protective equipment) and managers seem to be unaware of who has a key to be able to access (it),” according to the letter.

All nursing staff is getting ongoing training about how to properly access and use personal protective equipment, Skinner said.

“Detecting, protecting and responding to infectious disease is a core competency of all of our nursing staff and clinical providers that we take very seriously,” she said. “We want to reassure our communities that it is safe to come to the hospital should you or your family need care.”

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribunce.com or (208) 848-2261.