Forty-nine percent of healthcare workers in Washington said they are “likely to leave the healthcare profession in the next few years.” Among those who said they were likely to leave, 68% said short-staffing was one of their primary reasons.

Today a coalition of healthcare workers relaunched the WA Safe + Healthy campaign, heading back to Olympia to urge legislators to pass safe staffing standards to address the worsening hospital staffing crisis.

Today the WA Safe + Healthy coalition (SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, UFCW 3000, and the Washington State Nurses Association) released the following joint statement on the state Senate failing to pass safe staffing standards for healthcare workers:

HB 1868 would create safe staffing standards for healthcare workers in Washington hospitals, protecting healthcare workers from dangerously high patient loads and ensuring patients get the timely, quality care they deserve.

Public polling shows Washington voters support establishing safe staffing standards for Washington healthcare workers by an overwhelming 3-1 margin, including a supermajority among every political party.

A definitive new report on 30 years of research on nurse staffing levels decisively supports the case for Washington lawmakers to pass safe staffing standards.

WA Hospital Executives Received $20 Million in Pandemic Bonuses Alone

Almost 1,600 Washington healthcare workers, patients, and patient advocacy organizations signed in in support of the safe staffing bill – more than double the number of people who signed in in opposition.

Bipartisan legislation will begin to finally address the hospital staffing crisis by making healthcare workers’ jobs safer and more manageable.

As half of healthcare workers report they’re likely to quit, new coalition campaign calls on lawmakers to address the statewide hospital staffing crisis.