Thousands of nurses at eight Providence hospitals are on strike Friday morning, and for the first time in Oregon history, they are being joined by some doctors as well.

Nearly 5,000 nurses, physicians and other caregivers from eight Providence hospitals and six Providence clinics began an open-ended strike at 6 a.m. Friday. “This is truly a historic event,” Oregon Nurses Association Executive Director Anne Tan Piazza said at a Thursday new conference.

With concern growing over hospital care as a Friday strike looms at Providence Hospitals, representatives from the Oregon Nurses Association will hold a press conference to update the public on their preparations.

Oregon’s Providence hospitals and nearly 5,000 of its workers have yet to agree on terms to bump wages and address staffing shortages. That means the largest health care strike in the state’s history will begin Friday morning.

With concern growing over hospital care as a Friday strike looms at Providence Hospitals, representatives from the Oregon Nurses Association held a press conference to update the public on their preparations.

Providence has begun limiting admissions to its SW Portland hospital, St. Vincent Medical Center, ahead of what could be the largest health care strike in Oregon history. The big picture: Roughly 5,000 health care workers — including physicians,