St. Joseph's Medical Center nurses allege chronic understaffing in class action lawsuit

Nurses at St. Joseph's Medical Center have filed a class action lawsuit against Prime Healthcare and Ascension Healthcare for "chronically understaffing the hospital."

The nurses, who are represented by the Illinois Nurses Association, allege Ascension and Prime repeatedly breached St. Joeph's legally mandated staffing plan, inflicting causing "severe emotional distress" and forcing the nurses to work shifts that put both themselves and their patients in danger.

"By endangering the lives of patients through severe understaffing and forcing [nurses] to watch helplessly as the needs of their patients are ignored [Ascension Healthcare and Prime Healthcare] have engaged in conduct that is unethical, immoral and indifferent to the conduct expected of a hospital, to provide safe and adequate patient care," the complaint reads.

CBS News Chicago reached out to Ascension for comment. They said they cannot comment on ongoing litigation, but are committed to "vigorously" defending the allegations.