The actual number of cases of Zika virus infection in Puerto Rico is likely significantly higher than the 5,500 cases that have been confirmed in people, including 672 pregnant women. Up to 10,000 pregnancies in Puerto Rico could be affected by the virus and one-fourth of the island's population could be exposed to the virus this year, according to the agency.
The Washington State Department of Health, Washington State Medical Commission, and Washington State Health Care Authority released the following guidance and urged practitioners to accept and treat patients associated with Seattle Pain Center.
Jeruschia Horton, a charge nurse in the critical care unit at EvergreenHealth, was given the LifeSaver Award for the month of May by LifeCenter Northwest.
The American Academy of Nursing will honor 164 highly distinguished nurse leaders as its 2016 class of Academy fellows at their annual policy conference October 20-22, including four Washington State Nurses Association members.
WSNA-PAC (Political Action Committee) is committed to its mission as a nonpartisan organization representing the interests of registered nurses concerned with promoting quality patient care through the political process. In the Summer 2016 issue of The Washington Nurse, we profiled a number of candidates endorsed by the WSNA-PAC.
As the current Chair of WSNA’s Legislative & Health Policy Council, Lynette Vehrs well understands the tremendous impact state legislation and policies have on nursing and health care. As a past member of several bargaining teams, she knows the importance of collective bargaining to win working conditions that allow nurses to give patients excellent care. And, as a longtime staff nurse and nursing instructor, Vehrs knows firsthand the critical role nurses play in the health care system.
In her 17 years working in school nursing and public education leadership, Robin Fleming has worked to advance the support services she views as essential to supporting learning and eliminating achievement gaps.
Nine years ago, Purcell returned to Longview, buying the home she was raised in from her parents. Her time navigating the health care system to help her aging parents deal with heart issues, memory loss and other effects of aging, gave her a deep respect for the role nurses play. She views the role of nurses in the healthcare system as “essential.”
Tim Probst served as a State Representative for the 17th District from 2009 to 2013. He gave up his House seat in 2012 to run for the Senate against Don Benton. Outspent by $200,000 and running against an 18-year incumbent Senator, Probst lost by only 78 votes after multiple recounts.
Mike Pellicciotti has spent the last three years combatting healthcare provider fraud and elder abuse/neglect as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Washington. For eight years before that, he served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for King County.
Sen. Mark Mullet is running for re-election based on a record that includes support for Labor and health care transparency, among other issues.
WSNA has been actively lobbying L&I to update its guidance to reflect current legal decisions and clarify that intermittent rest breaks are not appropriate for nurses.
After careful review, WSNA and ANA continue to have numerous concerns and remain strongly opposed at this time to adoption of the proposed enhanced Nursing Licensure Compacts in their current form.
In the June 2016 issue of “Pediatrics,” the American Academy of Pediatrics published a policy statement calling for a minimum of one full-time registered nurse in every school.
The WSNA-PAC board has endorsed candidates for the 2016 Washington State Primary.
Support the VA's proposed rule to allow APRNs to work at their full scope of practice by joining ANA’s social media "Thunderclap" on July 20. We want to raise awareness of the issue and garner supportive comments before the VA APRN proposed rule open comment period ends on July 25.
The Washington Center for Nursing released the 2016 Washington State Data Snapshot report for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and advanced registered nurse practitioners in July.
WSNA is pleased to announce that the Health Care Authority, through its State Innovation Plan, has broadened their “Starter Set” of Performance Measures to now include three Nursing Sensitive Measures in their Medicaid Quality Incentive program. Achievement of measure benchmark goals is tied to the incentive payments to hospitals through the safety net assessment program.
As part of an ongoing multistate investigation, CDC is attempting to identify hospitals that have detected clusters of Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia) cases among pediatric or adult ICU patients, particularly since January 2016.
It takes about 1,000 volunteers per clinic day to operate the Seattle/King County Clinic, which returns to the KeyArena at Seattle Center October 27 – 30. Volunteer registration is now open, and we hope you’ll consider signing up!
You’ve probably heard a WSNA nurse rep, community organizer or leader say, “We’re only as strong as we are active!” This is true for our democratic system as well.
Take action now: Congress must unshackle the health care community by letting the CDC study gun violence. We can't keep pretending that gun violence isn't a public health crisis.
Among her accomplishments, Dottie Hicks, MN, RN was a faculty member at the University of Washington School of Nursing and Director of Nursing Continuing Education. She also served as the Treasurer of WSNA.
The Distinguished Membership Award, established in 1967, recognizes outstanding leadership and contributions to the mission of ANA.
