» Related Story: 5 Nurses To Be Fired Over Facebook Postings

"We recently identified an incident involving hospital employees who used social media to post their personal discussions concerning hospital patients," Tri-City CEO Larry Anderson stated, adding that an internal investigation "yielded sufficient information to warrant disciplinary action."

Though Anderson did not identify the website, it was Facebook, according to published reports.

A sixth employee was not fired but was disciplined, Anderson stated, without saying what the discipline was.

Liz Jacobs of California Nurses Association told The San Diego Union- Tribune that the matter was under investigation and she didn't want to discuss it.

"The CNA and nurses as a profession support patient confidentiality, as well as a nurse's right to a fair hearing," she said.