We wanted to update you on a few things, particularly the staffing crisis in the ED. Please read the attached PDF to listen to the horrific conditions the ED nurses have been working in. But before that:

Contract

We are waiting for the legal teams to give the go ahead to post, this likely will happen once Overlake finishes signing the documents.

Time Off Between Shifts

We understand that a lot of people were not getting the time and a half for the whole shift when there was less than 10 hours between shifts. We were told that this was a Dimensions issue and that the HR website should have a form to correct the discrepancy. Please get in touch if you need assistance.

ED Staffing Crisis

Our ED unit has been working tirelessly with WSNA Staff and their peers to send in letters, and fill out hundreds of ADOs, to show management that there is a huge problem in the ED. We finally sat down with leadership on Friday 7/16 to discuss their concerns.

ED nurses describe:

-Critically shorts staffed and staff leaving in droves. E.g. last night there were 3 nurses scheduled when they should have had 14.

-Little support from management, rest of hospital unaware of crisis.

-Nurses are burned out.

-Only reason Mandatory Overtime is not used everyday is because staff are volunteering to stay 16 hours and come in extra. No incentives until recently when $5 gift cards to the cafeteria were offered (kind of insulting).

-ED Running on code back, but hospital is still running elective procedures.

The meeting was a long time coming, but we think it was productive and has Overlake moving to do something. Management presented the nurses with an incentive bonus this week. While we are pleased that Management implemented something, we are planning to sit down with them and discuss how to make it better.

The staffing crisis trickles down whenever you are asked to take more and sicker patients. Every elective procedure that takes a bed, is one more backed up patient in the ED. It is also of dubious legality as the governor’s proclamation says elective procedures should be shut down if a hospital cannot meet surge capacity.

We are all in this together. We encourage you to talk with your leadership about critical short staffing and get involved with our Union.

Please contact your nurse representative, Sam Scholl with questions, comments or concerns sscholl@wsna.org.