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Confluence Health Hospital – Central Campus

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January 2025 Newsletter

Bargaining Breakfast 2025 
January 14 6-8 am Conference Rooms A/B

Come grab a Bomb breakfast burrito, pastries and drinks.

We will have WSNA t-shirts, car/business signs and water bottles for nurses to show solidarity for the upcoming bargaining.

Central Bargaining

WSNA has sent the letter of intent to bargain for the new contract and a Request for Information. We have received dates from the employer, yet we have not confirmed.

The WSNA bargaining team will be reviewing the survey and prepping for negotiations.

Mares Bargaining

The Teams met on December 19 without a mediator. We were able to close the gap on open items, however the employer remained firm that they are not willing to provide the Mares nurses with the same retirement as the Central nurses, We had scheduled to meet again on January 9. Unfortunately, the employer has declined this date without a mediator.

Unit Reps

We are looking for unit reps. We would like to see 2-3 nurses become unit reps for each unit. The training is free. If you are interested in keeping your unit quickly informed, especially during contract negotiations, please contact Jenny Galassi, Nurse Organizer Cell: 206-707-2948 jgalassi@wsna.org or Laurie Robinson Nurse Representative Cell: 206-620-4136 lrobinson@wsna.org  for more information.

Hospital Staffing Committee

Simon Morton, Co-Chair Hospital Staffing Committee Update:

CEO Dr. Jones was present. He signed off on our staffing plan submission with the caveat of SOU pending grievance filing.

Budget was approved by the board. The main new item concerning most nurses is that break nurses were approved as part of the budget. A subcommittee will be formed and could use input from different units on how to implement for all units!

We went over metrics of how we have been doing on things such as falls, HAPIs, and medication scanning compliance. We met or were close to meeting all of those goals, so great job everyone.

We had only 3 ADOs today. The ones from ER and PCU were dismissed with acknowledgement (basically means that there was a variation in availability of staff or census that caused short staffing and/or chain of command was not followed). The third one from ICU was resolved during that shift.

We are waiting for a clarification of education about the scope of LPNs that should be addressed at the next meeting.

We said that at the next meeting we would also see the metrics for the staff surveys.

Next meeting in January is when we will have a presentation on financials. It was going to be CFO Tom Legal doing it, but we were informed today he has left his position.

Nurse practice committee and workplace violence committee need new members as well! These committees will fulfill the requirement for the NPD ladder. Please contact me or CNO Kelly.Allen@confluencehealth.org if you are interested.

As a reminder: make sure to follow chain of command with all ADOs. Charge RN at the minimum. Notifying Management or house supervisor as well will be more likely to get you a resolution quickly, however.

Any questions feel free to let me know! If others at the meeting want to add something feel free as well!

Conference Committee

  • RBS (Rest Between Shift): Nurses may not self-schedule to create the RBS premium.
    If the employer requests the nurse(s) to accept On Call hours that potentially be a RBS premium, the nurse(s) should capture this in writing to receive the premium.
  • Job Reports: We are looking at posted positions and how they have been awarded, such as seniority and skills/ability.
  • Clinical Ladder: The requirements have been released and shared by managers. There is additional funding available. Concern that the work to achieve has been doubled. Kelly Allen asks for nurses to bring issues to her.
  • Low Census: Currently, the Emergency Dept has started using the LC process. Calls should come directly from Staffing.  Because this is new for the dept. there may be some hiccoughs. Please notify an officer or your WSNA rep. for questions.
  • DI/CL weekend scheduling: The employer will provide WSNA with the draft to review as this is a change in working conditions.
  • Sitter/Tasking: Discussions surrounding the ability for nurses who work on a unit that is closed during the holidays or there were more nurses scheduled for the holiday that were needed, leaving a nurse wanting to work instead of LC or PTO usage. This will entail completing competency check list, including the sitter check list. Kelly Allen will communicate to Case Management.
  • Break Nurses: The subcommittee will be meeting on January 10. We would like to see a rep from SOU. Additionally, if you would like to provide feedback, please contact an Officer or Laurie Robinson, nurse rep.

Grievances

  • MBU Nurses denied second vacations and/or told to apply for 5 days. We met for a Step 1 Grievance meeting on December 16 and received a response for denial. We meet for Step 2 on January 6.
  • Disciplinary- 3 separate grievances for individual nurses.

WSNA Membership

We’ve had your back since 1908.

Together we advocate, educate, support one another, improve working conditions, and elevate the nursing profession.

Below are the many opportunities that are provided with membership.

Benefits of membership - WSNA.

  • Learn

    Act

    Connect

    • Exclusive access to member-only events like Lobby Day and the Union Leadership Conference.

    • Discounts on events like the Washington State Nurses Convention and the Washington State Nurses Hall of Fame.

    • Regional nurses associations are your local connection for networking opportunities, education, and scholarships.

    • American Nurses Association membership is automatic for all WSNA members.

    • AFT Healthcare membership is automatic for all union members of WSNA.

    Insure

    • NSO professional liability insurance is recommended by WSNA as the program best suited for its members.

    • LegalShield offers legal and identity theft protection at a reduced rate to WSNA members. The company has been providing legal services for more than 40 years.

    • Aflac offers a distinct type of protection. Unlike traditional major medical health insurance, they pay you. See their cancer and accident plans.

    Save

    • Bright Now! Dental offers active WSNA Union members, Retirees and Union families savings simply by choosing to go to a office for their dental care. Whether you have dental insurance or not, you save money!

    • DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Seattle Airport – Southcenter is conveniently located near WSNA headquarters, and discounted rooms are available to WSNA members.

    • ANA Premier membership is automatic and includes additional savings and discounts.

    • AFT discounts available to union members of WSNA include dozens of options, from travel to shoes, computers to counseling.

 If you are not a WSNA member please consider completing a membership application today! Just click on the link!

Join online now!

YOU ARE WSNA!

In solidarity,

Open- Chair
Stephanie Gates- Co-Chair
Karen Doiron- Secretary
Simon Morton- Treasurer
Paul Molenaar- Membership
Brittney Lamb- Grievance Officer
Isaiah Ray- Grievance Officer

Laurie Robinson Nurse Representative
Cell: 206-620-4136
lrobinson@wsna.org

Jenny Galassi Nurse Organizer
Cell: 206-707-2948
jgalassi@wsna.org