Overwhelmed UCSF Parnassus Workers Say ER Conditions Are Unsafe For Patients

"Workers say that overcrowding and staffing shortages at the UCSF Parnassus emergency room are putting patients in unsafe conditions, with many receiving care in hallways or on the waiting room floor."

"In some cases, patients suffer medical emergencies while beds sit unused due to staffing shortages. Workers describe a growing gap between UCSF's reputation as a premier hospital and what they say is happening inside the ER, where overcrowding and understaffing have become routine."

"Back in 2023, nurses at UCSF Health told the San Francisco Standard that overcrowding and understaffing had pushed the ER into what some described as war zone conditions, with patients reportedly waiting days for beds and being cared for in hallways or even on the floor. At the time, 125 charge nurses submitted a petition to hospital leadership saying they could no longer provide safe patient care under existing staffing conditions."

"According to Mission Local, providers now describe critically ill patients waiting hours for treatment, hallway beds functioning as semi-permanent care spaces, and mounting fears that delays are contributing to preventable harm. We've had several cases where patients have seized in the ER that are 100 percent preventable, said one provider."

Workers report overcrowding and staffing shortages at the UCSF Parnassus emergency department, leading to unsafe conditions. Patients often receive care in hallways or on the waiting room floor and wait hours for treatment. Some patients experience medical emergencies while beds remain unused because of staffing gaps. Workers describe a widening gap between UCSF’s reputation and routine ER conditions. Concerns have been raised previously, including 2023 accounts of “war zone” conditions, long waits for beds, and care on hallways or the floor. In 2025, UCSF was reported among the city’s worst for ambulance offload delays, with patients waiting far beyond the 30-minute transfer target. Frontline providers now warn that delays may contribute to preventable harm.

Read at sfist.com