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Taking on the nurse staffing crisis

The public is becoming increasingly aware of a problem nurses have known about for a long time: the nurse staffing crisis that is dangerously depleting our hospitals. The COVID-19 pandemic has both highlighted and accentuated this crisis.


Standing together for real staffing solutions

WSNA and the other two primary health care unions in Washington state call for a sustain­able, account­able commit­ment to safe staffing in every depart­ment of every hospital in the state.


Symptomatic health care workers must not be forced to work

Press release

Statement

We call on employers to clarify their policies, and we call on the state to ensure workers cannot be forced to return while sick, or disciplined for refusing to work while symptomatic with COVID.




WSNA responds to Nursing Commission statement

In September, the Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission put out a statement on COVID-19 misinformation. WSNA sent a letter to the Commission expressing concerns with the statement.


Washington hospitals on the brink of unprecedented crisis

The reality cannot be overstated: Washington hospitals are on the brink of a crisis, and without immediate and impactful action to retain and attract critical workers the state’s health care system could face an unprecedented collapse in capacity and care.


WSNA responds to governor’s COVID-19 vaccination order

Because Governor Inslee has issued this mandate, health care employers – public and private – have to abide by the mandate. However, all employers still have to bargain with WSNA over the effects of the mandate.


Union statement on vaccination requirement for health care workers

Press release

Statement

As unions repre­senting nurses and health care workers in Washington state, WSNA, SEIU Health­care 1199NW and UFCW21 support science-based public health direc­tives on COVID-19 vacci­na­tion require­ments for front­line health care workers, with medical and religious exemp­tions.


High-risk worker proclamation to be replaced by new law June 28

On June 21, Governor Inslee announced that three coronavirus pandemic-related proclamations would be rescinded in anticipation of Washington state's June 30 reopening date. One of these proclamations, the High-Risk Worker Proclamation, will be rescinded June 28 and transition to the new Health Emergency Labor Standards Act.





COVID-19: Voices from the front lines

In October, as a winter surge of COVID-19 cases loomed ahead, we spoke to five nurses about their experi­ences on the front lines over the past year. Here are their stories.




WSNA statement on COVID vaccine

We believe that healthcare workers should be prioritized to receive the vaccination and strongly recommend that registered nurses be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a key component of a comprehensive prevention effort.



WSNA statement on COVID surge and frontline nurses

Nurses will continue to step up and take care of patients through this pandemic; state health officials and hospitals need to step up and make sure nurses have what they need to stay safe and healthy