August 15, 2025
July 10, 2025
This past year has been a busy one for the Washington State Nursing Quality Assurance Commission, with many updates to various rules, potential legislative bills and advisory opinions and policies.
February 17, 2017
After more than a year of grueling negotiations, the WSNA nurses at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital won a groundbreaking contract that for the first time in Washington state includes specific nurse-to-patient ratios.
February 15, 2017
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released a final rule granting full practice authority to three of the four established Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) roles, effective January 13, 2017.
February 14, 2017
Do you want to eat healthier, be more active, get better sleep and have more joy? This is your year! ANA is declaring 2017 to be the Year of the Healthy Nurse and will be addressing specific wellness issues every month.
February 12, 2017
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is considering whether to develop a new standard to prevent workplace violence in health care and social-assistance settings. The agency has issued a public Request for Information on the extent and nature of workplace violence in the industry and the effectiveness and…
February 11, 2017
Last fall, WSNA member Justin Gill, MS, ARNP, NP-C and WSNA Nurse Representative Travis Elmore, BSN, RN-BC, were appointed by the American Nurses Association Board of Directors to the ANA-PAC Board of Trustees.
February 10, 2017
The 2017 schedule, approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was published online today on the CDC website and in Pediatrics. The updated schedule was also approved by the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Obstetricians…
February 9, 2017
WSNA is playing a leadership role in a new campaign, Public Health is Essential, designed to educate lawmakers and the public on the critical role public health plays.
The CDC has set the adult immunization schedule for 2017 based upon recommendations made by the agency's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
February 8, 2017
Mumps cases reported in Washington state are up to 349, according to the most recent numbers released by the Department of Health on Feb. 1. Local county health departments have reported increases in recent days, however, which would increase that number by at least 8 cases. More are expected in coming days.
February 6, 2017
The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) (Public Law 114-198) extending the privilege of prescribing buprenorphine in office-based settings to qualifying nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) until Oct. 1, 2021. CARA requires that NPs complete 24 hours of training to be eligible for a prescribing…
Parity reimbursement and the Comprehensive Addictions and Recovery Act.
February 3, 2017
The Washington State Nurses Association Board of Directors announced today that they have selected Washington state nursing leader Sally Watkins, Ph.D., MS, RN, to be the new WSNA Executive Director, replacing Judy Huntington, MN, RN, who is retiring in June after 18 years in the position. Dr. Watkins will join WSNA April 3, 2017.
January 25, 2017
The influenza season is in full swing in Washington! Currently, it appears we are near the peak of a moderately severe season. Several hospitals, particularly those located in the I-5 corridor, are reporting limited to no bed availability along with the need to board patients in emergency departments and other locations. Several…
January 11, 2017
Mumps has spread and health officials urge immunization. The Washington State Department of Health reminds people across the state to take precautions to help stop the spread of mumps. It’s especially important for you as a health care professional to take precautions.
January 6, 2017
The Center for Opioid Safety Education has just released a new opioid overdose training video specifically for WA State.
January 3, 2017
Wishing you the happiest of holidays and a wonderful new year! WSNA's offices will be closed December 26 through January 2, 2017.
December 21, 2016
Under the terms of the settlement, St. Joseph will pay nurses $5 million in back pay for missed meal and rest breaks. St. Joseph also will establish a “block break relief” system to ensure that nurses are afforded uninterrupted rest periods, and the hospital committed to hiring an additional 26 break relief nurses to safely care for…
December 6, 2016
The WSNA Awards Committee and the Professional Nursing and Health Care Council are seeking outstanding WSNA members as nominees for the 2017 WSNA Recognition Awards. Nominations must be received at WSNA no later than Jan. 16, 2017.
After making little progress in mediation Tuesday, the WSNA-represented Registered Nurses at Tacoma General Hospital are planning a strike advisory vote for December 16, two days after the next scheduled mediation session.
November 17, 2016
TACOMA--(Nov. 14, 2016) The WSNA-represented nurses at Tacoma General Hospital head back into mediation tomorrow demanding that the hospital address the severe, chronic staffing concerns that imperil patient safety at the hospital. Management’s deceptive “bargaining summary” prompts new Unfair Labor Practice charge. “No Voluntary…
November 14, 2016
TACOMA – (Nov. 7, 2016) After 11 months at the bargaining table, the registered nurses at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital will not take voluntary overtime or extra shifts Nov. 10-17. This concerted union action is in response to MultiCare’s ongoing illegal actions against the nurses, as well as its refusal to address staffing…
November 7, 2016
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has profiles of different occupations that include Top 5 lists for states with the most workers in those occupations and states that have the highest mean wages for the occupations. We took a look at the BLS profiles for Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners and discovered that Washington didn't…
October 24, 2016
ANA's Nurses by the Numbers is the first of an annual series of curated Federal data on registered nurses. Access to the document is free and includes a selection of up-to-date information about the RN/APRN employment environment.
October 17, 2016
