Nurses and advocates gathered Thursday morning outside of Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, urging administrations to reverse a decision they say puts patients at risk — the closing of the only dedicated burn center in Kern County.
The protest, organized by the California Nurses Association (CNA) and National Nurses United (NNU), comes after Memorial Hospital leadership confirmed plans to discontinue burn services later this year.
In a February 3 memo addressed to employees and physicians, hospital president Ken Keller announced that Memorial Hospital will not renew its contract with the Grossman Burn Center and will close both acute care beds and outpatient burn programs, effective June 30, 2026…