Nurses at the Brooklyn VA Medical Center are demanding action from the VA to supply them with more protective gear and increased staffing levels as they say they are at war with COVID-19. 

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Members of National Nurses United, the largest union of registered nurses in the country, protested the lack of personal protective equipment and inadequate staffing levels. 

They say they can’t handle the unsafe patient load they’re faced with. They say nurses in the intensive care unit are looking after as many as five patients at one time. 

The standard is normally a maximum of two ICU patients to one nurse, sometimes a maximum of one patient depending on their condition. 

Brooklyn VA nurses say they are actively in combat and serving not only veterans but now civilian patients. 

"For me personally, I am ready to fight. I do not shy away from challenges especially when it comes to patient care. This is why I entered this field. My spirit is strong, but I cannot go to wear without my gear. My team and I need proper protective coverings, proper masks, and not just enough. We need backup,” said Brooklyn VA Nurse Maria Lobifaro. 

They’re also calling on President Donald Trump to utilize executive power under the Defense Production Act and speed up manufacturing of N95 masks and other PPE.