Well, this new year is starting out with some changes amongst your local WSNA elected Officers. Our own Zak Thatcher has decided to return to school and is embarking on an exciting journey for her. A journey that does not afford her the luxury of acting as the local unit chair. However, United has some incredible talent amongst the nurses and we are pleased to welcome Shawna Smith and Olga Hoagland to our list of local unit officers. They will be assisting Lacen, Shannon and Robyn in this VERY important year. Why is it important you may ask? Because this is a contract negotiations year, and we will absolutely welcome their input and participation and wisdom as we negotiate for a new contract later this year.

We will post all the officers names and roles and contact information on the main hallway bulletin board. Feel free to have this handy within your own unit. Please reach out to one of the officers for questions or concerns. When you see them in the hallway, let them know how much you appreciate them standing strong for all the nurses at United.

Benefits Committee

Shawna Smith has graciously agreed to represent nurses and your interests on the Benefits Committee. They will be setting up their meeting schedule so stay tuned for updates as they begin their work. And thank you Shawna for helping in this role.

PPE Committee

Shrene Clement from the OR is representing United nurses on the PPE committee. She can be reached at SClement@peacehealth.org.

This committee was formed actually as a result of the Governors Proclamation from December 2020 that mandated a joint clinician / management / union committee form and meet every 2 weeks to look at PPE supply, burn rate and stock. We have actually met a few times already and have had some great success in advocating for your safety.

Because of feedback from all of you, there are now different eyewear protection devices to choose from and they can be requested through your manager. But one of the biggest gains is the availability of ANTI-FOG WIPES for use on face shields and goggles alike to prevent them from fogging up while in use.

Again, those can be requested through your manager or supply contact.

Face shields:

If you are utilizing your face shield for a procedure or to care for patient with isolation precautions, the shield is intended to be DISPOSABLE. Consider it as part of your PPE attire for the room and when you remove gloves, mask and gown, discard the shield as well. **Exception: If you are wearing the face shield as PPE for your general work as you would a mask, the shield may then be wiped clean and used throughout your shift.

If you have any concerns about PPE you can fill out a product concern form which is found on Crossroads under “SUPPLY CHAIN” and then select concern form to complete and submit.

Remember Shrene is your voice for all things PPE so when you see her remember to say thank you and feel free to email her for any questions related to this.

Staffing Committee update

Your staffing committee is off to a robust start to the new year. They are meeting regularly and have put a lot of time and energy into resolving staffing concern forms (aka ADO forms) as well as reviewing and updating staffing plans for every unit. These staffing plans are submitted to your CEO who approves and has to sign an official attestation form. They are then submitted to the state and are found on the department of health website posted for everyone to see. However, your staffing plan should also be posted on your unit.

Whenever the staffing plan is not followed OR the staffing is not adjusted for acuity, then you are encouraged to complete an ADO form to document this. Every single concern form is reviewed at the staffing committee and it is a collaborative effort between nurses and management to arrive at a solution. We have made some fantastic changes because of this team AND the dedication of every nurse in completing one of these forms. Here are some WINS!

Because you filled out these forms, we now have 1. increased CNA support staffing and that includes traveler contracts as well as cross training of OR techs. 2. The emergency department now has a permanent 2 pm – 2 am nurse as part of core staffing and 3. the OR has better scheduling with clinical input as well as reduced duties of the NTL.

Staffing Committee members:

Assignment Despite Objection / Staffing Concern Forms

You can play an important part in the success of your staffing committee by taking the time to complete the ADO form when applicable. You can find it easily on computer, tablet or smart phone at www.wsna.org/ado and it is easily completed AFTER your busy shift …at home in your PJ’s with your feet up.

Contract Corner

12.6 Education Leave Available. Regular full-time and part-time nurses shall be provided paid education time per year for purposes of attending educational meetings approved in advance in writing by their manager, such as workshops, seminars, and educational programs in at least the following amounts: sixteen (16) hours per year for nurses working an average of less than .5 FTE, twenty-four (24) hours for nurses working an average of .5 to .8 FTE and thirty-two (32) hours for those nurses working an average of .9 FTE and above, provided the number of nurses wishing to attend does not jeopardize Medical Center services. …Upon request, nurses certified by ANA or a specialty nurse organization who are working in the area of their certification shall be provided an additional sixteen (16) hours of paid education time per year pursuant to this provision for the purpose of attending educational meetings directly related to their certification.

Did you catch that additional paid time? Most nurses who are certified know they receive additional education hours. What they may NOT know is that it doesn’t happen automatically with their certification and the additional hours must be requested via HR.

Hoping you are taking advantage of this contractual benefit!

Not getting update emails?

As we approach contract negotiations this year, your team wants to be sure you receive all the updates and announcements. Please make sure your personal cell phone and personal email information is correct! If you do not receive emails from us, please contact our membership department at 206-575-7979 or email at membership@wsna.org . We want to be sure you are kept “in the know”!

In solidarity,

Lacen Potter - Co-Chair

Shannon Lauder - Co-Chair

Robyn Tilton - Secretary

Shawna Smith - Treasurer

Olga Hoagland - Membership

Zak Thatcher - Historian

WSNA Nurse Organizer – Tara Barnes tbarnes@wsna.org

WSNA Nurse Representative – Sue Dunlap MSN, RN, COS-C
sdunlap@wsna.org 206-575-7979 ext. 3005