Half of Washington nurses likely to leave healthcare

Forty-nine percent of nurses in Washington state said they are likely to leave healthcare in the next few years, according to a recent poll.

The poll was conducted by the WA Safe + Healthy Coalition, a group urging legislators to address the healthcare worker staffing crisis. The coalition surveyed members of UFCW 3000, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW and the Washington State Nurses Association, which collectively represent more than 75,000 healthcare workers in the state, according to a Feb. 13 news release.

Among the 49 percent of workers who disclosed plans to exit the profession, 68 percent said short staffing was one of their primary reasons. In addition, 79 percent of respondents said they were burned out, and 45 percent said they feel unsafe at their job.

A bill that would mandate nurse-to-patient staffing ratios is scheduled for a public hearing in the Washington Senate on Feb. 16.