The 1960s: New challenges

The 1960s and '70s was a period of unprecedented growth for WSNA — both in membership and legislative activities. Civil rights, human rights and women’s rights were prominent issues in our society, as was the space race and the controversial Vietnam War. Civil unrest and protest were signs of the times.

Similarly, future changes to the National Labor Relations Act in 1974 would provide new opportunities for nurses to determine their destiny in the workplace, as well as new challenges for WSNA as a multi-purpose professional organization. Debate and conflict over the appropriate role of collective bargaining in the professional association led to new structural arrangements that met labor law requirements, while allowing WSNA to continue to provide services to all registered nurses regardless of their job title or work setting. WSNA became both the professional association and labor union for registered nurses in Washington state. These controversies resulted in the formation of a committee to look at the multi-purpose nature of WSNA. The committee produced the informational document, “WSNA - What It Is and What It Does,” which detailed the multi-purpose nature and philosophy of the professional association.

The advent of associate degree nursing programs at community colleges and master's degree and certificate programs for nurse practitioners heralded major changes in nursing education, prompted debate over entry-level education and created newly independent roles for nurses with advanced education. Nurses also began to recognize their potential power through collective action, both in the collective bargaining arena and in legislative and political action.

Development of Medicare and Medicaid programs and a clarion call for “access to health care for all” provided new opportunities for nurses to speak out on behalf of their patients. ANA and WSNA supported new financing programs and championed the concept of access to health care for all. The nursing profession was referred to as the “sleeping giant” in health care; by sheer numbers alone (nearly two million nationally at the time), nursing was becoming a powerful and reckoning force in health care.

1960

• WSNA membership was 3,528.
  
• The world premiere of the internationally acclaimed nursing education film, “Mrs. Reynolds Needs a Nurse,” was held in Seattle. The film was written by WSNA member Dolores “Deo” Little.
  
• WSNA recommitted to helping remove barriers of discrimination wherever they apply to professional nurses.

1961

• WSNA Bylaws were amended to conform with the (Landrum-Griffin) Labor Management Disclosure Act and the American Nurses Association (ANA) Bylaws.
• The WSNA House of Delegates approved a draft revision of Mandatory Nurse Practice Acts for RNs and LPNs to be introduced at the 1961 Washington State Legislative Session.
• Certification of School Nurses was approved by the State Board of Education to be effective July 1, 1961. The approval was the culmination of eight years of work by WSNA members toward certification of school nurses employed by school districts.
• After 50 years of lobbying by WSNA, Washington state became the 23rd state to achieve Mandatory Licensure for Registered Nurses.
• Two-year community college programs provided for in the Health Amendments Acts of 1956 and 1960 allowed development of new associate degree nursing programs.

1964

• The University of Washington opened its first nursing Doctoral Program — a “nurse scientist” graduate education program leading to a PhD.
• Nurse Practice Act was amended to allow LPNs to give medications “under the direction of a physician or registered nurse.”

1965

• Mary Lux became the first RN and WSNA member elected to the Washington State Legislature — one of only 10 women in the Legislature at the time.
• ANA published its first position paper on nursing education, advocating for the baccalaureate degrees in nursing as the entry level into professional practice. WSNA planned workshops throughout the state to encourage discussion and answer questions. Most practicing nurses at the time were graduates of Hospital Diploma Programs.
• Nurse practitioner programs and “refresher” courses were developed to attract nurses back into practice and to relieve the nursing shortage.

1967

More than 1,200 of the 1,700 RNs in 22 Seattle-area hospitals signed conditional mass resignations in protest of the Hospital Council’s proposed labor contract (ANA had a no-strike policy at the time). Nurses were paid $400 per month and lagged behind teachers and secretaries in pay and benefits. Major improvements in salaries and working conditions were achieved, as WSNA won a new contract. Resignations were rescinded, and all returned to work. Later in the year, ANA rescinded its no-strike policy.

1968

WSNA supported development of a new Baccalaureate Nursing Program in Eastern Washington.

1969

• WSNA established a special committee to study "The Future of Nursing Education in Washington State.”
  
• WSNA once again introduced legislation proposing labor relations rights for employees of nonprofit health care facilities, including binding arbitration to prevent strikes. This bill is not enacted.
  
• WSNA membership grew to 6,311.