‘We’re losing overworked nurses’: Washington nurses unions say staff shortages could lead to health care collapse
Published by KREM 2 on 9/16/21 (Source)
Washington hospitals are facing a severe shortage of health care workers and a higher patient capacity amid the fifth wave of COVID-19 spurred on by the Delta variant.
Associations representing about 71,000 Washington nurses and healthcare worker, including the Washington State Nurses Association, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, and UFCW 21 are asking hospitals to help reduce the shortage by offering an adequate salary to current staff, filling departments that are understaffed to help make sure patients have safe access to care.
WSNA Cabinet Chair and ICU nurse at Astria Toppenish Hospital, Julia Barcott, said nurses became overwhelmed after they were the main responders when the coronavirus pandemic first started and after the rise of Delta variant with hospitals overflowing.
"But nurses and other frontline workers are people, too. We’re losing overworked nurses to overwhelming burnout, the distress of working short-staffed, better-paying traveler nurse jobs and even for signing bonuses of up to $20,000 to move to a different hospital," Barcott said. "We’re worried for our patients and the impact of the staffing crisis on the care they receive.”
WSNA said in a press release the shortage of health workers is a public health crisis that needs to be addressed immediately or the Washington heath care will suffer an unprecedented crisis.