News you can use!
Posted Jul 9, 2024
WSNA Bulletin Board Contest is Under Wraps!
Huge thank you to the units who stepped up to participate in the WSNA bulletin board contest. The end results were fantastic, and the winners are ready to be announced. Congratulations to the following units on success! Your brand-new Nespresso machine and pods will be delivered by the local unit officers to your unit this month!
3S kicks up the Hawaiian spirit with their Aloha theme winning the most creative WSNA bulletin board!
NICU is super “groovy” with their hippie theme winning most informative!
Nurses are sure to not miss the Psych ED board, as this unit brought home the solidarity theme! Be sure to stop and spend time at this board, to notice the flashing lights of WSNA!
Meal Waivers, clocking in and out for lunches and Penalty Pay to nurses for missed lunches, and Virtual Nursing. What does this mean for WSNA Nurses?
It has been a busy spring, and Providence has implemented new rules and regulations without bargaining them with WSNA. After hearing nurses were being forced to clock in and out for their lunches, WSNA promptly sent a demand to bargain which fell on deaf ears. After months of silence, a second demand to bargain was sent by WSNA, at which time Providence indicated they did not believe they needed to bargain the matter but would agree to sit and talk only. We fully intend to meet with management on this, to seek answers to our questions, and find solutions to what nurses are enduring by this change. As a reminder, anything that has to do with hours, wages and working conditions, must be bargained with us per labor law.
As this situation evolves, we hope to keep our nurses informed on any developments.
Law Restricting Mandatory Overtime, Meal and Rest Break Protections has been updated
See the new administrative policy updates here!
We have heard managers on certain floors are forcing nurses into intermittent rest breaks. Which means, if you have a conversation at the nurses station, sip of water, or go to the rest room all of that time adds up to your 15 min break. This is NOT OKAY. A cease and desist has been sent to HR as of July 9 asking them to stop the practice immediately.
Intermittent rest breaks is a violation of the law, and is a CLEAR contract violation according to article 8.5. Per RCW 49.12.480, and article 8.5 in the WSNA contract, the employer is required to provide uninterrupted meal and rest periods. There are some exceptions to this, but the they are narrow and rare. Please reach out to your Nurse Rep Jaclyn Smedley if this is happening to you. We will promptly address it.
Co Caring (Virtual Nursing) Model is Coming to Sacred Heart
Yep, that is right. Virtual Nursing is set to come to the 4th floor at Sacred Heart, beginning this fall. There is not a projected start date yet, as a lot of details are still being worked out. The topic has been raised to the attention of the Hospital Staffing Committee (formally known as the Nurse Staffing Committee). In summary, the way the co caring model works is, there is an RN on camera who is able to enter a patient room, when invited by the patient. The virtual RN cannot enter the room without the patient requesting their presence. These nurses will be able to do admit, discharges and pain assessments and reassessments to name a few of their duties. Through EPIC, they will be able to communicate with the bedside RN, while carrying out the coordination of duties and care plan. Nurses will be trained to operate in this environment, and this includes floats to accept assignments on the 4th floor. In March of this year this model was implemented at Holy Family Hospital, and we are looking to them as an example of efficiency.
Look for more information to come on this topic. They will be WSNA RNs in the bargaining unit.
Calling all Unit Liaisons!
Did you know, your WSNA contract expires at the end of 2025. That’s right. This means, the nurses of WSNA are one year out from building the negotiating team, and planning the important issues that need to be addressed. Your local unit officers and negotiating team members are always in need of more helping hands. This is where you come in! If you can help serve your unit, in the local unit liaison capacity or anyway we ask you to click on the link below and fill out the form. The level of involvement and the amount of time you can give is up to you! ALL are welcome!
Use this link to get involved https://www.wsna.org/union/sacred-heart-medical-center/get-involved
Sip and Chat UPDATE! “Bean” me up Scotty!
Due to summer vacations and travel, we will be skipping sip and chat for the month of July. But no fear! On August 13 from 0900 to 1130, and from 2100 to 2330 we are returning to bring you Thomas Hammer coffee! Save the date!
IENA Legislative Dinner coming this fall – SAVE THE DATE
This fall, October 15, beginning at 5:30 pm the Inland Empire Nurses Association will be hosting a legislative reception dinner at the Spokane club. The goal of this dinner is to allow nurses to meet 1:1 with their law makers to discuss nursing issues and ask for their direct support. Registration will begin late summer. Nurses must be a WSNA member to attend. For more information, contact your Nurse Rep Jaclyn Smedley BSN, RN.
Did you know? Because you are a member of WSNA, you are automatically a member of IENA. To learn more about IENA, and other benefits for nurses visit https://ienanurses.org/
Questions? Contact your local unit officers or Nurse Rep Jaclyn Smedley BSN, RN, at jsmedley@wsna.org