Emergency room doctors and nurses are asking Trinity Health of New England to hold off on plans to outsource their jobs.

The workers currently have until April 7 to agree to work for California-based Vituity or lose their jobs.

But doctor and nurses are worried that some colleagues may not go along with the plan due to questions, accelerating problems at hospitals that are dealing with staff shortages and crowded emergency rooms.

“I’m worried about the potential mass exit of physicians from Saint Francis Hospital and the impact it will have on the community as a whole,” Sama Alvi, a regional director of physician adviser services for Trinity, said.

Lawmakers joined Alvi and several dozen medical workers in calling for Trinity to wait, possibly for up to a year. Some lawmakers even wanted them to reconsider the move.

“There are so many layers to this poorly chosen decision that whoever’s made that decision needs to pursue other careers,” Sen. Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) said during a press conference at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

Trinity Health of New England issued a statement defending the move.

“No Trinity Health Of New England services have been ‘sold.’ This partnership ensures the long-term sustainability of emergency and hospitalist care at our hospitals, aligning with our commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care,” they said.

Trinity also noted that Vituity, a for-profit company, does not have any private equity ownership. Prospect Medical Holdings’ bankruptcy filing earlier this month has reignited calls for stricter regulations around private equity investments in healthcare.

Trinity also claimed it’s committed to working with employees on some of their concerns, including loan forgiveness and immigration status.

Some of the medical workers receive loan forgiveness through a program that encourages graduates to work for nonprofit healthcare providers.

And the medical workers estimate one-third of the 120 impacted employees have visas and those workers are concerned they will have to get new visas, a move that would delay their chance of getting a green card.

“If they don’t have this transition go as smooth as possible, they can either lose not just their job but their immigration status in this country,” Gagan Singh, a regional director for hospital medicine for Trinity, said.

There’s little the state can do to block, stall or otherwise alter Trinity’s current agreement with Vituity.

They are considering legislation to get tough on private equity.

Anwar and others said they could also include language to give workers and patients more protection when nonprofit hospitals contract with third parties.