Leadership and governance

WSNA’s multilayered, democratic system of governance ensures members have clear and powerful pathways to actively contribute to the association’s direction and future.

The primary governing body of WSNA is the Board of Directors, composed of elected representatives from our membership and the elected chairs of three key councils: the Labor Executive Council, the Professional Nursing and Healthcare Council, and the Legislative and Health Policy Council.

Adding to this, standing committees focusing on specific areas such as nominations, finance, bylaws, and long-term care play a critical role in carrying out the association's work and advancing our key objectives.

However, WSNA’s governance is not limited to these groups. Every member has the opportunity to significantly impact the policies and direction of the association, not only by electing representatives to serve on the Board and councils, but by participating in WSNA’s General Assembly business meetings held at our biennial convention. During these meetings, members can vote on changes to bylaws, propose resolutions, and more. Decisions made at General Assembly meetings play a significant role in shaping the future of WSNA.

The Board has many responsibilities, including ensuring the priorities adopted by the WSNA General Assembly are incorporated in the strategic plan for each biennium. The Board also approves the budget for WSNA and appoints and reviews the executive director. Board members act as ambassadors for WSNA, representing the association to the membership and other organizations as appropriate.

The chairs of the Labor Executive Council, the Legislative and Health Policy Council, and Professional Nursing and Health Care Council are elected separately and serve as full members of the Board by virtue of their offices. Two of the director-at-large positions must be filled by non-managerial, non-supervisory, direct patient care providers represented by WSNA for collective bargaining.

The Labor Executive Council sets priorities for functions and activities of WSNA labor relations, including developing and reviewing policies and procedures related to the conduct of the Economic and General Welfare program.

The Professional Nursing and Health Care Council is responsible for addressing issues of nursing practice that have been identified by members of the nursing profession and the public. Primary focus is given to the adherence to ethical, professional and legal standards of nursing practice.

The Legislative and Health Policy Council sets the annual health policy and legislative agenda for the Washington State Nurses Association and plays an active role in reviewing and advancing WSNA's legislative priorities. It also helps set the agenda for WSNA's annual Advocacy Camp and Lobby Day.

WSNA's bylaws are the foundational backbone of our organization. This is a living document that embodies our commitment to democratic governance, integrity, and the collective pursuit of excellence in the nursing profession.

The General Assembly is WSNA’s governing, democratic body; it convenes every two years at WSNA’s Washington State Nurses Convention.

Resolutions passed by the General Assembly help determine the priorities of the association, and thereby directly affect the work of WSNA’s Board of Directors and staff for the ensuing biennium.

Every member of WSNA automatically belongs to a regional nursing association as well. The regional association to which a member belongs is decided based on the county where the member resides if they're an individual member, or the county where they work if they're a union member.

Regional nursing associations are unrelated to local units, and they do not participate in collective bargaining (union) activities. These associations are professional organizations, functioning independently of any union activities.