Mandatory Low Census (MLC) Voluntary Low Census (VLC)

You do not have to be on-call (aka “standby”) if you get low census (either mandatory or voluntary*). However, staffing may skip over you and offer VLC to the next volunteer if they think the next volunteer will be on-call. Or staffing may be forced to skip over you if you have a specific skill that others on shift do not have (i.e., If you are the only NTL staffed for that day, they will skip over your request for VLC). Anytime you receive VLC or MLC, you can choose to take it as paid (out of your PTO bank) or unpaid. It is your choice and your responsibility to make sure staffing knows what you choose.

(*=The caveat to this is that if you work in a unit/subunit that is required to take mandatory call (see Article 8.5.2), the hospital does reserve the right to require you to be on-call when you receive VOLUNTARY low census. You do not have to be on-call when given Mandatory Low Census.)

Specific to MLC: If given MLC, it should always be for the whole shift. You have the option to take it in 4-hour chunks if you want to. Again, it should be your choice. The benefit to taking it in a 4-hour chunk is that staffing will have to recalculate who is next in line to receive MLC every 4 hours. So, there would be a good chance you can work the rest of your scheduled shift if you desire. See Article 11.2 to determine the priority in which people should be low censused every time.

Either way, it is crucial to make sure your Kronos timecard correctly reflects your VLC and MLC hours. Nurses accrue PTO on ALL low census hours (paid or unpaid, MLC or VLC). While staffing and the schedulers help manage the Kronos timecards, each nurse is ultimately responsible for reviewing their timecard and ensuring accuracy. This way, you ensure you receive all the hard-earned benefits we’ve bargained.

Important Info for New Grads

When new grads have didactic days, you have the right to complete the rest of your 12-hour day directly after your didactic. We have confirmed with Human Resources that you are not required to go home and come back at 1900 if you work the night shift. Not all managers may be up-to-date with this, so you may have to respectfully advocate for yourself. Feel free to reach out to your unit reps and/or WSNA Officers if you need help advocating. We are happy to help.

Using the Integrity Line

Suppose you see unprofessional or untoward behavior from your nursing leadership, such as a negative communication style or treatment. In that case, we recommend you call and report this behavior to the confidential Integrity Line. Nurses have had success getting improvements by taking this simple action.

PeaceHealth Integrity Phone line: (877) 261-8031 (an independent, confidential service available 24/7 except holidays).

If you are called to an Investigatory Interview

If your manager contacts you to attend an investigation, reach out to your WSNA Officers right away. Don’t wait. If the date and time you are offered does not work, management has always worked to offer additional dates and times. It is essential that you have an advocate and witness. You can call your WSNA Nurse Rep at (206) 575-7979, Ext. 3035 or email hwelander@wsna.org. You can also find officer names and phone numbers on your WSNA webpage: https://www.wsna.org/union/st-joseph-hospital.

Welcome your new Nurse Staffing Committee Co-Chair

Lee Brown has been appointed to serve as the new WSNA Co-Chair for Nurse Staffing Committee. Thanks to Martha Phillips, outgoing Co-Chair, for her service. Don’t worry; Martha Phillips will remain as a WSNA Board Officer (your Co-Secretary).

St. Joe’s Nurses Attend Lobby Day in Olympia

Your nursing colleagues, Lee Brown, Erin Allison (Chair of Legislative and Health Policy Council), and Kainui Rapaport traveled to Olympia to advocate for nurses and patients on WSNA’s Lobby Day. The safe staffing standards bill, SB 5236, has officially passed out of the Senate Labor committee. We are now facing our biggest hurdle, the Ways & Means committee. The next few weeks will be critical to getting this bill passed. Be sure to check your personal email for important actions you can take to help pass this important bill. Last week the WA Safe + Healthy coalition released new public polling that shows an overwhelming 76% of Washington voters support establishing safe staffing standards for healthcare workers.

On left, Lynnette Vehrs, WSNA President; second and third from left, Lee Brown (Resource) and Erin Allison (Nursing Float Pool); far right, Kainui Rapaport (3^rd Surgical)

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Hanna Welander at hwelander@wsna.org.