Overlake Nurses,

On Wednesday we had our staffing committee meeting with management. Staffing Committee is established by law and is where our voice is literally heard. The committee is made up of half management and half RNs who must come to agreement by voting on resolving issues brought forth by RNs filing ADOs. Any nurse can attend staffing committee, and official representatives per your contract must be released to attend.

On Wednesday, we learned the grids are in fact changing. Med-Surg units are going to have 1:5 ratios, and PCTs 1:11 at the bare minimum. We expressed bluntly how unsafe the nurses feel this change would be and were disappointed in how management did not create a space for nurses to share those concerns. We need every nurse who can show up at the next meeting and be vocal about your concerns and what the needs of your unit are. If you have ideas, you can create the grid you want to see on your unit and bring it to staffing committee, please keep your WSNA staffing co-chair Michele Percosky in the loop. Nurses have the power to have a say over what grid works for your unit, let us show them how united we are and be loud about safe staffing!

We will be voting on the proposed changes next staffing committee meeting on 7/13.

Please contact the WSNA Staffing Committee Co-Chair Michele Percosky if you want to be a representative for staffing committee or if you have a staffing grid you want to share. Her email is: Michele sharparella@yahoo.com.

In Solidarity,
Your WSNA Officers,
Chris Birchem, Cassie Bundick, Erin Hurley, and Emnet Bizuneth

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Laurie Robinson at lrobinson@wsna.org.