Washington nurses push for staffing standards at hospitals

A coalition of health care groups called WA Safe + Healthy is hoping that 2023 turns out differently than 2022.

Last year, legislation to create standards for nurse staffing at hospitals failed, but that’s not stopping the Washington State Nurses Association and others from trying again during the current legislative session.

That session in Olympia just kicked off on Jan. 9. It came during a week that saw nurses in New York City hit the picket line over staffing concerns, saying they have been overworked since the pandemic began.

That sentiment echoed with many nurses in Washington state, and lawmakers will once again be part of the debate between health care workers and hospitals. The Washington State Nurses Association says it wants a law that could set ratios for the number of patients under a nurse’s care. The group is part of efforts to reintroduce legislation to do that.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/washington-nurses-push-for-staffing-standards-at-hospitals/ar-AA16jWCE +