Since July 7, 2020, ED nurses have filed more than 30 staffing concern forms (SCF) or WSNA ADO’s due to unsafe staffing. When you fill them out, copies go to the Nurse Staffing Committee (NSC) co-chairs; the manager or director; the Local Unit Chair, Laura Bayes; and WSNA.

It is management’s responsibility to provide a response to the nurse and the NSC. Part of the process may involve dialogue with the nurse that submitted the SCF/ADO, if there are any questions. If the SCF/ADO is clearly written and spells out the nurses’ concerns, it is management’s job to fix the problem, not yours.

Do not let management silence your voices! Continue to protect your license and your patients. Washington State law prohibits management from retaliating against nurses that file concerns about unsafe staffing. Even if an issue is resolved, you are still entitled to file an unsafe staffing concern form.

It has come to our attention that during some of these conversations, nurses have heard inappropriate comments, such as being discouraged from filing SCFs/ADOs. This is unacceptable and violates the contract and Washington state law! Furthermore, we are hearing reports from many, many distressed nurses that management is pulling you away from your patient assignment for long periods of time, that they are forcing you to review budget documents; that you are told that you “should” be able to take care of 4 patients and if you can’t, there must be something wrong with you, and more.

Because of this, WSNA has filed a cease and desist demand with Administration. It is our expectation that management treat you professionally and collaboratively.

Our recommendations are the following:

1. The right to representation: If you are called into a meeting with management, ask if this can or will lead to discipline. If the answer is “yes”, delay the meeting and contact WSNA. You are entitled to representation at all investigatory interviews!
2. If you hear unprofessional comments during meetings, please call the Integrity Hotline and report it. Contact your WSNA Nurse Rep by email at hwelander@wsna.org and document what transpired.
3. Keep filling out the SCFs and ADOs.

We remain hopeful because your NSC Rep, Amanda Taylor, has reached out to the Co-Chairs of the NSC for an ad hoc meeting. The staffing concerns all of you are reporting must be taken seriously.

Please contact Hanna Welander, WSNA Nurse Repre­sen­ta­tive, if you have any questions specific to this or any other issues. Contact info: hwelander@wsna.org or 206 – 575-7979, Ext. 3035