Hello All,

I know there are a lot of things to talk about, but this is just a quick update on our DOH and DOSH complaints. We are getting things moving and we wanted you to be in the loop about it. We will send out a communication early next week about various other topics. Stay strong all.

Complaints

As a result of you standing up and speaking out against the terrible working conditions and staffing shortages, we now expect to see meaningful change! We would not have been able to do this without your voices, ADOs and hard work. The nurses of Overlake have filed Department of Health (DOH) and Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) complaints. We understand that both agencies were on campus 9/9 investigating our concerns. While we cannot confirm that the results of these investigations will be in our favor, they are more eyes and more pressure on Overlake to improve workplace conditions and patient safety. Below are summaries of the complaints filed. If you have additional information and want to add your voice, please file an ADO or contact our Nurse Rep, Sam Scholl sscholl@wsna.org.

DOH – Patient safety

We are concerned with the ongoing staffing crisis and staffing shortages. One more obvious example is monoclonal antibody infusions in the ED. These infusions take between 4-6 hours to complete with 15 minute vitals and assessments for otherwise healthy, walking patients. They interrupt the regular flow causing a strain on already crisis level staffing. ED nurses are regularly assigned 9-11 patients while their staffing plan calls for 4 to 1. The charge nurses have been running their psych pod and Triage. It feels like only a matter of time before something terrible happens, if it hasn’t already.

DOSH - Worker safety

We are concerned about several issues related to patient flow and COVID exposure risks. The PPE standard from the CDC for suspected or confirmed COVID patients is an N95 or higher respirator and face shield. Overlake continues to say it is a PAPR/CAPR facility but is not following CDC guidelines in providing those to all staff caring for these patients. This is an across-the-hospital problem; however, the ED has no CAPRs for triage nurses who see all the suspected COVID patients and conduct the COVID screenings. Please see the summary and sources for this below:

PPE for COVID Patients Summary—

• Simple masks are not the standard of care for caring for patients with suspected or known COVID-19, regardless of setting. N95 or higher respirator is the standard.
• Continency Capacity calls for extended use of N95 respirators and PAPRs, and prioritization of use. Collecting specimens from a known or suspected case of COVID-19 is considered a High Priority.
• Screening criteria for COVID-19 have not changed.
• The state has additional resources to support healthcare providers until Oct. 31.

CDC Contingency Capacity standards: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirators-strategy/index.html#contcapstrategies (Scroll down to the N95 part).

If you look at the state guidelines (Interim Supplemental Guidance for Prioritization of N95 and Other Respirators in Inpatient Hospitals During Times of Supply Shortage (wa.gov)), scroll down to pages 5-6. There are definitions for what qualifies as a High Priority activity—namely, collecting or handling specimens from suspected or known COVID-19. This would include triage if the nurse is assessing any of the screening symptoms.

DOH: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/820-117-N95PrioritizationInpatientHospitals.pdf

Personal Protective Equipment Section:
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control-recommendations.html#anchor_1604360721943

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7654369/

https://www.hqontario.ca/Portals/0/documents/evidence/reports/powered-air-purifying-respirators-as-an-alternative-to-n95-respirators-in-a-health-care-setting.pdf. (This article has a list of pros and cons for PAPR use)

DOSH (L & I) references:

https://www.lni.wa.gov/safety-health/safety-rules/enforcement-policies/DD1180.PDF

https://lni.wa.gov/dA/36e85758be/DD170.pdf

Vaccine Mandate

We don’t have much new to share. Overlake is preparing a response to our initial proposal as outlined in previous emails and our town hall. We will say again that this is only bargaining the conditions of implementation of the vaccine mandate. The mandate is law and cannot be changed by either WSNA or Overlake. Overlake has confirmed that they are reviewing the exemptions they have received so far and have already started getting back to people as they move. We encourage everyone to start whatever process they need to start to either be vaccinated or be exempted as soon as possible; Oct. 18 is the deadline.

Platitudes and conclusions:

Protect your license, file an ADO: https://www.wsna.org/ado

Reasons to file an ADO: https://www.wsna.org/union/ado

If you had MOT, file an L&I complaint: https://secure.lni.wa.gov/wagecomplaint/#/

If you have patient safety concerns, file a DOH Complaint: https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/providercredentialsearch/ComplaintIntakeForm.aspx

Please contact our WSNA Nurse Rep Sam Scholl for anything sscholl@wsna.org. They are back from vacation and catching up. Please follow up with them again if you are waiting on a response.

Please let our WSNA Organizer Zach Seikel know if you want to be more involved zseikel@wsna.org.

If you are not already, become a member. Our Union at Overlake is as strong as the members make it. https://www.wsna.org/membership/application/union.

Forever in your corner,

Sam Scholl BSN, RN

Nurse Representative

sscholl@wsna.org