A group of nurses has been suspended, after they refused to treat coronavirus patients without N95 masks.

The nurses, based at the Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, refused to treat the patients, after one of their colleagues tested positive for Covid-19.

They had previously asked for more N95 masks to be supplied to them, but were told by hospital administrators that they were not necessary, according to the Associated Press.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend the use of N95 masks for healthcare professionals, as it “filters at least 95% of airborne particles”.

The National Nurses Union told the AP that the nurses have been suspended.

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The 10 nurses are still being paid, but are not allowed to return to work until an investigation into their actions is completed.

Angela Gatdula, the nurse who tested positive, told the AP that hospital managers said that they were following CDC guidelines by only offering nurses surgical masks.

Ms Gatdula tested positive for coronavirus shortly after she questioned the practice, and told the outlet that “when I got the phone call that I was positive I got really scared”.

She is hoping to go back to work next week, but added that “the next nurse that gets this might not be lucky. They might require hospitalisation. They might die”.

In a statement, the health centre said that “it’s no secret there is a national shortage”.