Op-ed: Public health nurses not valued for their experience by King County

I was first exposed to the complexity of the healthcare system at the age of 13 when, after two months of declining health, I found myself inpatient at Seattle Children’s Hospital. I had no idea that being diagnosed with a lifelong autoimmune disease would awaken the advocate inside of me and ignite a desire to care deeply for others I do not know. Fast forward nine years, and I am preparing to step foot into my nursing career. Over the course of three years, I went from inpatient nursing to ultimately landing and staying in public health. My path was not the most straightforward, but what is beautiful about my journey is that it brought me to where I belong.

 When most people think of nursing, their mind immediately goes to the hospital bedside. But public health nursing often goes unseen, even though it is what keeps communities alive and thriving. It’s the backbone of prevention, equity, and access, quietly supporting people long before they ever need a hospital. That’s why I’m proud to have found my place here.

I belong as a public health nurse.

I feel called to do this work because of my love for the community and passion for helping people. I love working with my team in Community Health Services on programs like human milk feeding for babies, advocating for the safety of my colleagues in Jail Health, or staying up to date on immunization practices by the team in Prevention.

But after years as a public health nurse, I am frustrated by how public health nurses are being treated by King County.

Nurses at Public Health Seattle & King County are not valued for their experience. After 10 years, we do not continue to move up a wage step with each year of experience — the industry standard across many healthcare institutions in our city and county. This is not only hurting the retention of experienced nurses but of early career nurses who struggle to envision a future with the county.

In 2023, the county said it would study the issue. We showed them data on how nurses are treated at other places. The data was overwhelming. The country agreed they should change the wage scale. But the plan was paused because of money.

What costs even more money is losing talented, seasoned nurses who can help prepare the next generation of public health nurses.

Why are public health nurses NOT being recognized to the same level of value as their counterparts? Why are we public health nurses currently 15 sessions into contract negotiations with King County and nowhere near an agreement? These are the questions I ask myself and hear from my colleagues.

We want the county to HEAR us when we say Public Health Nurses are feeling disrespected. We want the County to SEE us and the impact we have each day in providing essential health care services and access to resources at the detriment to our livelihoods. We want the county to VALUE us in the way that aligns with its True North and values. Public Health nurses hold a unique level of tolerance, but we are done tolerating different treatment than other nurses. We deserve MORE and we will not stop fighting until we get it.

Public health nurses are the pillars holding up the safety net of society.