Nurses working for Dignity Health Care at Mercy Hospital Downtown and Mercy Hospital Southwest say low staffing levels at the hospitals are violating California's nurse-to-patient ratio law.
By the time OB-GYN Dr. Arthur Park surrendered his license in late 2021, all four of Bakersfield’s hospitals had been sued by patients of his, and at least two had paid out settlements. One, Mercy Hospital Southwest, was also found to have made errors in the days leading up to the death of one of his patients.