This Nurses Week, we want to start with something simple and true: we are proud to stand with you.

The past few months in the NICU have been incredibly tough. Critically short staffing, refusal to increase incentive pay, and repeated calls for help going unanswered have pushed all of us to the brink. That frustration is real, and it is shared. You are not alone in it.

And still, every day, you show up. For your patients. For their families. For each other. That is what solidarity looks like. That is what makes nurses the backbone of this hospital.

You deserve recognition. You deserve support. You deserve better.

So this Nurses Week, we want to say thank you, and give you a chance to let it all out.

Nurses Week Giveaways (May 6 – May 12)

We will be holding daily drawings throughout Nurses Week:

• Ten $10 Starbucks gift cards each day
  • Five for day shift
  • Five for night shift
     (Case Managers, Lactation Nurses, and some per diems will be split between day shift and night shift to keep things as fair as possible)

And at the end of the week:

• Two $150 gift cards to Brainy Actz Rage Room Tacoma

Yes, seriously. A chance to smash some glass and take out a little well-earned frustration.

Winners will be posted daily on the Union Facebook page and notified by email.

This is a small token of our appreciation, but it comes with a big message: we see you, we stand with you, and we are grateful for everything you do.

What We Are Doing About Staffing

Gratitude matters. Solidarity matters. Action matters too.

WSNA will be filing grievances this week over the employer’s failure to uphold contract language, including:

• Violations of the new staffing standards
• Failure to follow the staffing plan
• Assignments above safe staffing levels
• Working without Dels nurses or break nurses

We fought hard to win these protections. We intend to enforce them.

We will also be filing a grievance over the floating of non-WSNA nurses into the NICU. It is unacceptable for the employer to refuse to increase incentive pay while violating the recognition clause of the contract.

When these grievances are scheduled, we will let you know so you can attend and bear witness.

We are still awaiting a response on the Dels Nurse premium grievance. As soon as we hear back, we will share the outcome.

Thank you to every nurse who spoke up and made it clear how unacceptable this situation is. That is solidarity in action.

What You Can Do

Holding the hospital accountable takes all of us. Your voice matters, and your documentation makes a difference.

Continue to fill out the "No Skeleton Crews" forms located in the break room and wear your "No Skeleton Crews" stickers. We will be delivering the forms to Lori soon.

Please continue to fill out ADOs and include:

• Patient census
• Required staffing per the staffing plan
• Actual staffing on the floor

These details allow us to escalate issues to Washington State Department of Health and Washington State Department of Labor & Industries after review by the Hospital Staffing Committee.

Submit an ADO here:
 www.WSNA.org/ADO

We also strongly encourage filing complaints with the Department of Health. The hospital has a legal obligation to provide safe staffing and use every available resource to meet that standard. We do not believe that is happening.

File a complaint here:
 https://wahelms.my.site.com/s

If you need help filing an ADO or a complaint, reach out to Nurse Rep Jared at JRichardson@WSNA.org.

In Solidarity, Always

This Nurses Week is about more than recognition. It is about standing together, lifting each other up, and continuing the fight for the respect and resources you deserve.

Thank you for everything you do. For your patients. For each other. For this union.