Bursting at the seams.’ WA hospitals feel the pinch of long-term care shortages

“It’s been an ongoing problem, amplified by the pandemic: hospitals in Washington state are overrun and overwhelmed. But right now, it’s not because of Covid patients. ‘Our hospitals are bursting at the seams,’ said Taya Briley, vice president and general counsel for the Washington State Hospital Association during a press conference Monday morning.”

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“Health care unions also have plans to lobby state lawmakers for solutions to staffing and capacity issues.

“‘We are here to issue an urgent call to the state legislature to pass common sense legislation for safe staffing standards, that enable health care workers to do their job safely and give patients the care they deserve,’ said registered nurse Diane Sosne during a press conference Monday announcing a new ‘WA Safe + Healthy’ campaign. The campaign is led by a coalition of health care workers unions.”