WSNA leadership, staff and your Local Unit Officers are in active discussions with the county about the COVID crisis and its impact on nurses. Our primary concerns are the protections of nurses’ safety and livelihoods during this crisis.

As you may be aware, the county is proposing redeploying nurses to do COVID work at other facilities. We are actively discussing the county’s proposal and have another discussion scheduled for this afternoon. If you have already volunteered, please ensure you have been properly oriented and are competent to perform the nursing care you are providing. This is a requirement under your license and is not waived during this crisis. Some of these links may be helpful as you make decisions about your practice.

https://www.doh.wa.gov/portals/1/Documents/6000/QsOfAssign.pdf
https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/opinio/s?s=DecisionTree
https://www.doh.wa.gov/portals/1/Documents/6000/JobTitles.pdf

We are working with the county to reach an agreement regarding compensation for nurses who are at high risk for COVID, have been exposed to COVID, or are ill from COVID-19.
We are also in discussion with jail health services regarding inmate transfers between facilities, staffing, and safety needs.

Some nurses are asking about conditions that place them at serious risk. Please review this information:

https://www.wsna.org/news/2020/nurses-facing-abnormally-dangerous-patient-care-assignments

Please let us know what you are experiencing, what you need us to know and how we can help you get through this increasingly challenging pandemic.

Please contact your nurse rep Sue O’Donnell sodonnell@wsna.org or 206-575-7979, ext. 3045.

Thank you all for the work you do.

In Solidarity,
Your local unit officers Paul Kunkel, Jane Storrs, Tami Nesler, Carolyn Clark, Yolanda Morris and Nurse Rep Sue O’Donnell