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Election results for 2021 – 2023 biennium

Congrat­u­la­tions to these WSNA members elected by their peers to serve in positions of leader­ship during our 2021 – 2023 biennium!

September 15, 2021

Your voices were heard, and your activism made a difference

The Washington State Legislature’s 2021 Regular Session adjourned sine die on April 25, marking the end of the 2021 legislative session. While the remote session presented new challenges, it also allowed for greater public participation — and the legislature made significant accomplishments.

September 15, 2021

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.

September 13, 2021

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.

August 10, 2021

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.

August 9, 2021

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On June 21, Governor Inslee announced that three coronavirus pandemic-related proclamations would be rescinded in anticipation of Washington state's June 30 reopening date. One of these proclamations, the High-Risk Worker Proclamation, will be rescinded June 28 and transition to the new Health Emergency Labor Standards Act.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

Continuing Competency requirements for nursing licensure changed June 12

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

Washington State Nurses Association appoints David Keepnews as new Executive Director

Press release

The WSNA Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of David Keepnews, PhD, JD, RN, FAAN as Executive Director. He will join the WSNA staff and begin orientation on September 15, 2021.

June 10, 2021

Olympic Hot Tub raises $45K to support Nurses Emergency Assistance Grant Fund

Thanks to Olympic Hot Tub for raising $45,050 in support of the Washington State Nurses Foundation's Nurses Emergency Assistance Grant Fund in April 2021.

May 28, 2021

Congratulations to the 2021 WSNA Recognition Award winners

The WSNA Awards Committee and the Professional Nursing and Health Care Council are proud to recognize and applaud these outstanding WSNA members with the 2021 WSNA Recognition Awards. Join us in celebrating this year's winners.

May 19, 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

Happy National Nurses Month

Never before has the critical role of nurses been so clear. Never before have we been so proud of our profession. To the nurses who have carried us through, thank you and happy National Nurses Month.

May 6, 2021

Governor Jay Inslee proclaims May as Nurses Month in Washington state

“I encourage all people in our state to join me in honoring the nurses of Washington, especially recog­nizing the critical and live-saving role that regis­tered nurses have filled around our state, country, and world through the current coron­avirus pandemic.”

April 30, 2021

WSNA in Olympia: 2021 Legislative Session End of Session

The legislature adjourned Sine Die on April 25, marking the end of the 2021 Washington State Legislative Session.

April 30, 2021

WSNA receives key to city of Federal Way

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

Chauvin conviction a landmark on the long road to eliminating systemic racism

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

WSNA in Olympia: 2021 Legislative Session Week 14

Today marks the 96th day of the 105-day 2021 legisla­tive session

April 16, 2021

Pearls for Practice: Accepting constructive criticism

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

Kyla Arama delivers live-saving care in West Africa

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.

April 16, 2021

Biennial Report of Achievements

In 2019, the WSNA Board of Directors approved seven strategic priorities to focus the work of the association on areas of greatest importance to registered nurses and the organization. Within those priorities, WSNA staff developed specific goals and action steps and reported back to the Board on a regular basis.

April 14, 2021

Our strength comes from each other

During this year’s Washington State Nurses Convention, we hope nurses across Washington state will feel connected to and supported by others who have also felt the heavy weight of the pandemic on their shoulders.

April 14, 2021

PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center nurses rally for safe staffing

Press release

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

WSNA in Olympia: 2021 Legislative Session Week 13

It was a busy week of floor action in both the House and the Senate. Sunday, April 11 is the cutoff to pass (non-budget related) bills in the opposite chamber.

April 9, 2021

It’s National Public Health Week (or should it be year?)

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