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Occupational and environmental health and safety
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U.S. Surgeon General sounds alarm on health worker burnout and resignation

Nurses and other health care workers have long faced systemic challenges in the health care system even before the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to crisis levels of burnout, according to the Surgeon General.

May 24, 2022

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On June 21, Governor Inslee announced that three coronavirus pandemic-related proclamations would be rescinded in anticipation of Washington state's June 30 reopening date. One of these proclamations, the High-Risk Worker Proclamation, will be rescinded June 28 and transition to the new Health Emergency Labor Standards Act.

June 24, 2021

Health care worker presumptive eligibility becomes law

On May 11, Governor Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5190 into law — which goes into effect immediately and provides presumptive eligibility for workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance.

May 12, 2021

Governor updates vulnerable worker protections

On July 29, Governor Jay Inslee updated the proclamation that provides protections for vulnerable workers in Washington state and extended it through the duration of the current state of emergency.

July 29, 2020

Nurses and health care workers call for action for PPE and hazard pay

Press release Statement

Washington State Nurses Association, UFCW 21 and SEIU Healthcare 1199NW today reiterated their call for hazard pay for nurses and frontline health care workers in the face of ongoing shortages of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

April 17, 2020

Joint statement from Washington State Nurses Association, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW and UFCW21 on personal protections for healthcare workers

Press release Statement

The CDC has announced new interim recommendations on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for situations where adequate supplies are unavailable.

March 10, 2020

Nurses Climate Challenge: Educating 50,000 Health Professionals by 2022

To activate nurses, the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments and Health Care Without Harm launched the Nurses Climate Challenge in May 2018, a national campaign to educate health professionals on climate and health. We are aiming to educate 50,000 health professionals by 2022.

January 31, 2020

We won! Now what? Learn about legislation that impacts nurses

Attend an event in our Fall Leadership Series. Learn what you can do as a nurse to ensure successful implementation of new laws aimed at preventing workplace violence and protecting overtime and breaks for healthcare professionals.

September 16, 2019

When you’re there in body, but not in mind

Presenteeism is when someone is physically at work, but not fully engaged or performing. As nurses, we have a lot going on both at work and outside of work, and these things (like our work environment and our own health and well-being) can affect our ability to be fully present at work.

June 13, 2019

Incident (occurrence) reporting: a cornerstone for safety and quality improvement

Incident reporting is a powerful source of information. When used effectively, it provides a factual description of an adverse event or near miss that supports learning, safety and improved care quality. Most health care entities utilize an electronic incident reporting system to identify opportunities for improvement.

June 4, 2019

Incrementalism: bad or good?

What is incrementalism? Merriam-Webster defines it as a policy or advocacy of a policy of political or social change by degrees: gradualism. Why do we as nurses need to be aware of incrementalism? Because it’s a double-edged sword and it can cut deep.

June 3, 2019

Can a nurse walk off the job to protest unsafe working conditions?

As a general matter, the law does not afford employees the right to walk off the job because of unsafe conditions in the workplace. However, a situation may arise in which a nurse is confronted with an immediate choice between not performing an assignment or being subjected to a real risk of serious injury or death arising from a…

May 30, 2019

On-the-job injury: What you need to know

Each employer has a duty to provide a workplace that is free of known dangers that may harm employees. Like all workers, you have the right to working conditions that are free of known health and safety hazards.

May 28, 2019

Why are nurses suing the EPA?

For over a decade, nurses have been working with a wide range of partners, including other health professionals, environmentalists and health-affected groups, to update the nation’s chemical safety policy.

February 2, 2018

How healthy and safe is your workplace?

Have you ever experienced a violent incident or assault at work? Is needed personal protective equipment (PPE) readily accessible? Is lift equipment for safe patient handling available on each acute care unit? WSNA’s Health and Safety Survey is a critical first step in making your workplace safer and healthier.

August 3, 2017

OSHA considers health care workplace violence standard, requests comments

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is considering whether to develop a new standard to prevent workplace violence in health care and social-assistance settings. The agency has issued a public Request for Information on the extent and nature of workplace violence in the industry and the effectiveness and…

February 11, 2017