June 16, 2025
In February, we asked you to participate in a survey to identify ongoing areas of opportunity, improvement and focus for WSNA in the 2021-2023 biennium. This survey, called the 2021 Biennial Member Survey, consisted of 17 multiple-choice questions and an open-ended space for nurses to submit questions or comments.
September 15, 2021
A nurse’s scope of practice is defined by each state’s Nurse Practice Act. In Washington state, this is encompassed in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) and Washington Administrative Code (WAC). Let’s unpack each of these and learn how they affect nursing practice in Washington state.
This spring, the National Academy of Medicine released The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity. This report explores how nurses can work to reduce health disparities and promote equity, while keeping costs at bay, utilizing technology, and maintaining patient and family-focused care into 2030.
Nurses today have more education and certifications than ever before. But how should nurses list those credentials? Should all of them be listed after your name? What about nonnursing credentials? It seems confusing; should nurses even bother?
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.
September 13, 2021
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.
August 10, 2021
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.
August 9, 2021
On June 21, Governor Inslee announced that three coronavirus pandemic-related proclamations would be rescinded in anticipation of Washington state's June 30 reopening date. One of these proclamations, the High-Risk Worker Proclamation, will be rescinded June 28 and transition to the new Health Emergency Labor Standards Act.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
Continuing Competency requirements for nursing licensure changed June 12. These changes apply to registered and practical nurses with active, inactive, expired, and retired active nursing licenses.
June 16, 2021
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
Gloria Brigham, WSNA director of nursing practice, received a key to the city of Federal Way on April 6 from Mayor Jim Ferrell. Brigham, representing WSNA, was one of seven people who accepted the awards on behalf of healthcare workers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and grocery workers.
April 22, 2021
WSNA applauds the guilty verdicts delivered against former police officer Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd. The jury’s conclusion supports what we know to be true: that Black Americans, especially Black men, are too often victims of systemic racism in law enforcement in this country, and the consequences can be deadly.
April 21, 2021
The mention of the word “criticism” can instantly bring up feelings of dread, failure and defensiveness. However, criticism can be an important opportunity for growth, self-reflection and self-awareness for the professional nurse.
April 16, 2021
As a volunteer for the nonprofit organization The Bridge of Hope, Kyla Arama has helped create a self-sustainable medical system in Sierra Leone, a developing country on the southwest coast of West Africa.
Nurses say PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center needs to do more to attract new nurses and retain the nurses it has after a brutal year on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. On April 10, hundreds of registered nurses and supporters rallied at the Vancouver Waterfront to call for safe nurse staffing at Southwest.
April 10, 2021
The national theme for Public Health Week 2021 is “Building Bridges to Better Health,” a recognition that making communities safe and healthy is public health’s top priority and that COVID-19 has made that even more important.
April 7, 2021
Both the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives released their budget proposals in late March – and both provided significant new funding for Foundational Public Health Services.WSNA and the Washington State Medical Association issued a joint statement to budget leadership on March 28.
April 2, 2021
The Governor’s office is recruiting for several vacancies on the Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission.
February 5, 2021
To help deliver vaccines across the state, nurses must register as an Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioner in the Washington State Emergency Registry of Volunteers (WAserv) at WAserv.org.
February 1, 2021
The single-greatest risk factor for overexertion injuries is the manual lifting, moving and repositioning of patients, clients and residents. Washington state law requires acute care hospitals to have a safe patient handling program.
January 15, 2021
To graduate the number of nurses needed to meet the demand, Washington state needs more nurse faculty. In 2016, the Washington Center for Nursing (WCN) began efforts to examine whether there was a nurse faculty shortage.
I looked out my window and saw the burnt orange sun rise over the Cascades, but the mountain range was hidden by the smoke. Is this our new normal?
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.
January 14, 2021
Washington hospitals must do better by nurses and health care workers to keep them safe and keep them on the job, where we all so desperately need them.
January 9, 2021
