Sunday night shift backpay expected Oct. 15 **UPDATE now expected Oct. 29**

HP apologizes for the delay, as there were issues/errors in the payroll data. They now inform us that the Sunday night shift backpay should be paid out to those affected on the October 29th paycheck. It was negotiated during the last contract negotiations in July 2020 that weekend premium would cover all of Sunday night shift, beginning the first pay period following Ratification. But MultiCare implemented the change late. If you worked Sunday night shift from the end of July 2020 to December 2020, you should be receiving backpay for the portion of those nights that you weren’t properly compensated for. Please pay attention to your pay stubs.

9.9 Weekend Premium. Any nurse who works on the weekend shall receive three dollars ($3.00) per hour for each hour worked in addition to the nurse's regular rate of pay....The weekend for premium pay purposes shall be defined as beginning at 11 :00 p.m. Friday and includes any shift that begins before 1 :01 p.m. Sunday.

Clarification on retention bonus for nurse residents

Question: Regarding a nurse who is in a residency program and is currently in obligation to work for 2 years or else repay $2,000-4,000; they did not receive a sign-on bonus; are they eligible for the retention bonus?

Response from HP: Those already under a retention agreement of any kind are not eligible. The residency program is similar to a retention agreement. Even though money did not specifically change hands, there is an exchange of value. In the residency program, MultiCare invests significant funds (much more than $4000) to train the employee. We view that “value given” as analogous to a retention bonus.

Staffing Complaint / Assignment Despite Objection Forms (ADO forms) question and answer

What is an ADO form?
A.
A Staffing Complaint/ADO is a form that documents a good faith effort on the part of a nurse to call attention to problems that affect nurse and/or patient care, safety, or satisfaction. The goal is to fix these problems and ensure they don’t reoccur. Filling out and filing an ADO form may protect you one day if ever an untoward outcome should occur with yourself or a patient.

Q.
Why should I fill out ADO forms?
A.
Staffing Complaint/ADO forms provide documented evidence that a problem exists on a unit and initiates a process for improving the situation. Once management has been presented with an issue, it is incumbent upon them to address it. Additionally, you are documenting the facts, which may be helpful to you if there is a negative outcome. The submitted Staffing Complaint/ADO also provides the Staffing Committee members with specific details, rather than with anecdotal examples about staffing complaints, and helps them determine if a complaint has been resolved or not. The Staffing Committee has the legal responsibility to determine if staffing complaints are resolved or unresolved. Complaints that show an unresolved trend for 60 days or more could result in an investigation by the Department of Health and possible fines. When appropriate, some complaints may be taken to Conference Committee by our WSNA local unit officers to try to resolve the concern.

Registered nurses have the responsibility to report when care is unsafe. If unsafe situations go unchecked, those we serve may be put at risk, and you put your RN Licensure at risk.

Q.
ADO when and how?
A.
If you feel your situation/assignment is unsafe, you need to report it to your charge nurse or manager as soon as possible and go up the chain of command if time permits. Please do not simply reject the assignment because this may be viewed as being insubordinate. If the situation is not immediately addressed/remedied by management, you need to fill out and file an ADO form as soon as you can. Also, it may help to think of completing an ADO form as an S.O.S. – Short on Safety, Short on Supplies, Short on Staff. Be detailed in your description of the issue/concern and please complete the form and ask other nurses who were affected complete one as well.

Q.
Where do I find this form?
A.
You can find WSNA ADO forms by going to http://www.wsna.org/ado.

Q.
Will my manager or I get in trouble if I fill out this form?
A.
This form is not meant to get anyone in trouble or penalized. This form is intended to help out the staff and surface concerns. It is actually illegal to retaliate against any nurse for submitting any complaint related to staffing. If any nurse feels they are being penalized or retaliated against by their manager for filling out an ADO, please let any of your officers or WSNA Nurse Representative know.

Q.
Can you provide examples of when it would be appropriate for me to submit an ADO?
A.

• Your unit is not staffed according to its staffing plan.
• Shift adjustments to staffing are inadequate.
• Charge nurse is unable to perform charge nurse duties, secondary to increased patient care assignment
• Inadequate nurse to patient ratios for patient acuity based on your clinical judgment; insufficient support staff
• You are not trained or experienced in the area assigned, or have not been oriented to this unit / case load
• Necessary equipment is not available (supplies, IVs, medication availability), or you are not trained or experienced to use equipment in assigned area
• An assignment poses a threat to the health and safety of a patient under your direct care
• Coerced/Mandatory overtime, or missed breaks

Q.
What happens with the form once it is completed?
A.
Please enter your managers email address so that they get a copy. Once submitted, you, your local unit chair, WSNA rep and staffing committee leaders are automatically copied. This form will be addressed by members of the hospital staffing committee to determine if they are resolved or unresolved. Some may be addressed at the Labor Management (Conference Committee) monthly meeting.

NSO Professional Liability Insurance

All practicing regis­tered nurses should carry their own profes­sional liability insur­ance and WSNA has selected NSO as the program best suited for its members. This plan is designed to meet the unique needs of today’s Nursing profes­sionals. One afford­able annual fee offers a wide range of plan features, including 24-hour protec­tion for you whether you are on or off the job, license protec­tion, assault coverage, deposi­tion repre­sen­ta­tion, personal injury protec­tion and more at no extra cost. For more infor­ma­tion or to apply for coverage, contact NSO at 800 – 247-1500 for individual coverage or 888 – 288-3534 for group practice coverage or visit NSO’s website at www​.nso​.com.

Feel free to contact your WSNA Nurse Representative Janet Stewart jstewart@wsna.org (206) 735-6484.

View your contract at wsna.org.