Striking HI Nurses Leave Picketline to Assist in Kidney Transplant

Three of the 1,400 nurses that are on strike against three hospitals in Oahu, Hawaii, left the picketline to assist in a living-donor kidney transplant operation under a "patient first" agreement with the hospital.

The three-hour operation at St. Francis medical center -- the first kidney transplant at the hospital since the strike began December 2nd -- reportedly went smoothly, and the nurses returned to the picketline following the surgery.

Hospital spokeswoman Maggie Jarrett said kidney recipient, a man in his 50s, was "doing fine," and he and the living donor, his daughter who is in her 30s, were recovering.

Other sources: Honolulu Advertiser