JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A nurse who was employed at a Life Care Center in Jacksonville says the health care facility isn’t doing enough to ensure residents and staff are safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lula Jones has filed a lawsuit. She said she worked at the location on Jacksonville’s Southside for about a year, but for decades, she’s worked as a certified nursing assistant.
Weeks after she brought her safety concerns to the attention of Life Care Center management, Jones said she was fired.
Over the past few months, Jones took pictures she said she feels show the health care facility depriving residents and staff of proper care.
“The biggest issue was the patients were not getting proper medication," Jones said. “You can see that meals had not been taken. Just sitting there. Trays had been left in the rooms.”
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the former employee said she feels management was not transparent about the virus and didn’t supply staff with enough equipment to keep them safe, including masks.
Jones said she shared the photos with management in March. Three weeks later, she was fired for not coming to work, but she said she notified her superiors about the days she missed.
Jones said she feels as though she was fired because she spoke up.
“I’m about doing what’s right and, like, doing my job efficiently. If you don’t give me what I need to do this, how can I be up to par doing my work?” Jones said.
Jones said she’s now seeking legal action by enforcing the anti-retaliation provisions of the Florida Whistleblowers Protection Act, and she is hoping she can create change.
According to the Florida Department of Health’s website, as of Wednesday, there weren’t any positive COVID-19 patients or deaths reported at Life Care Center in Jacksonville.
A request for comment from the facility was not immediately returned on Wednesday night.