What’s in this newsletter:

• WSNA Leadership Conference
• Nurses Week
• Hospital Staffing Committee
• Clinic Nurses
• Bargaining Unit Meeting

This conference was a tremendous success, especially for the nurses at KVH! Your unit was featured in a session highlighting how leaders in smaller bargaining units can achieve strong wins at the bargaining table, just like you have.

In addition, a panel of nurses shared their recent experiences bringing more nurses into their unit, including Secrett Simmons, KVH Clinics. This work is critical to protecting bargaining unit work and advancing the profession of nurses.

To top it all off, KVH nurses can be incredibly proud of bringing home awards in recognition of your outstanding efforts!

 Local Unit Star

Kara Henderson was nominated for being a consistent support for the unit and the entire healthcare system.

As her nominator said, “She's supportive, she's kind, she's very good to patients and very good to staff. Kara was on the bargaining team that won an outstanding contract last year. She also serves on the Hospital Staffing Committee. When she feels like change needs to be instituted, she has no qualms about speaking up in meetings of the Board that oversees this public hospital. Kara has been in the Ellensburg community all her life and works to make the hospital better for employees and patients alike. There is no doubt that through her advocacy she has changed things for the better.

Outstanding Bargaining Team

This exceptional team was made up of Kara Henderson, Donna McCune, Anji Baker Bryant, Erik Berkas, Jordan Simmons, and Hanni Johnson.

Right before bargaining began, the much-appreciated CNO abruptly left the hospital. The departure made an already challenging time even more difficult. Through it all, this group came together and showed up. They spoke at board meetings and strongly advocated for better working conditions and patient care for the tight-knit community. Throughout bargaining, the team welcomed bargaining unit observers and encouraged them to speak up about issues affecting their units.

Nurses saw real gains in the contract ratified in December. Double time for full-time nurses and time-and-a-half for part-time nurses when working a day off. A 12 percent night shift differential. Double time for night-shift holidays and $20,000 dedicated to the Nurse Clinical Practice Committee for education. This is in addition to individual nurse education funds.

This was truly a team effort, and it made a meaningful difference for nurses and patients alike.

Happy Nurses Week to the incredible nurses who embody strength, passion, integrity, and unwavering dedication each and every day. Your resilience in the face of challenges, your compassion for those in need, and your steadfast commitment to delivering exceptional care make a profound difference in the lives of your patients and their families. You serve not only as caregivers, but as advocates, leaders, and pillars of support within your communities and among your colleagues. Your integrity guides your actions, your passion fuels your purpose, and your dedication inspires us all—thank you for the extraordinary impact you make every single day.

We will be coming around May 6 to wish you a happy week and bring you some tasty treats. Wear your WSNA T-Shirt in solidarity! If you don’t have one, we will bring extras.

Chad Bearup is the new Co-Chair. We wish him a successful and productive time in this role.
The majority of the ADO’S (Assignment Despite Objection) are from known holes in the schedule. The majority are generated by the ED. New positions have been added. 12 are in progress and 1 new in April.
An ADO written in December is still being looked at. There are 2 CCU patients in the unit. 2nd CCU nurse floated to take an assignment on Med/Surg. 2nd CCU RN is NOT AVAILABLE when they have an assignment on another unit.

WSNA’s position is that if the second ICU RN is needed to float, they will not take an assignment as they must be IMMEDIATELY available as listed under (a) in the WAC. If a nurse was required to take a patient assignment, if they were needed immediately, they would not be able to provide an appropriate hand-off.

Critical Or Intensive Care Services.

The purpose of this section is to guide the management and care of patients receiving critical or intensive care services. Hospitals are not required to provide these services in order to be licensed.

If providing a critical care unit or services, hospitals must:

1. Define the qualifications and oversight of staff delivering critical or intensive care services.
2. Assure at least two licensed nurses skilled and trained in critical care, on duty and in the hospital at all times, when patients are present, and:
   1. Immediately available to provide care to admitted patients; and
   2. All registered nurses trained and current in cardiopulmonary resuscitation with:
      1. Training for the safe and effective use of specialized equipment and procedures in the particular area; and
      2. At least one registered nurse having successfully completed an advanced cardiac life support training program.
3. Assure laboratory, radiology, and respiratory care services available in a timely manner; and
4. Use hospital policies and procedures which define standards of care.

KVH Clinic nurses who do not hold supervisory roles have formally asked to join WSNA and be included in the existing KVH nurses’ collective bargaining agreement. The employer has challenged this request by filing with the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC), disputing whether the clinic nurses should be automatically added to the current bargaining unit. As a result, the matter has advanced into a formal investigation and may proceed to a hearing, where PERC will determine whether the clinic nurses share enough similarity and integration with hospital nurses to be included in the same union contract, or whether a different outcome—such as a separate unit or an election—is required.

 May 14 In person meeting 5-7 pm The Tav. 
 
KVH Officers:
Kara Henderson, ED, Chair
Donna McCune, FBP, Co-Chair
Hanni Johnson, ED, Secretary
Erik Berkas, ED, Treasurer
Anji Bryant, SOP, Grievance Officer
Jordan Simon, ED, Membership Officer

Questions/Concerns Contact Laurie Robinson, Nurse Representative, lrobinson@wsna.org.
For more information on how you can get involved contact Jenny Galassi, Nurse Organizer, jgalassi@wsna.org.
 
WSNA Membership: If you are not a WSNA member please consider completing a membership application today! Just click on the link!
https://wsnaonlineapplicationportalwsnaprod.powerappsportals.com/