Join Skagit Regional nurses as they rally for safe staffing Jan. 22

MOUNT VERNON — After 14 contract bargaining sessions over the past nine months, more than 500 registered nurses at Skagit Regional Health are taking their concerns about nurse staffing and access to quality care to the community they serve. All union members and community supporters of quality health care are invited to join Skagit Regional Health nurses, who are represented by the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA), as they rally from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 22 on the front steps of the Skagit County Courthouse, 205 W Kincaid St. in Mount Vernon.

“Nurses, who are at the bedside 24/7, know best what Skagit Regional patients need, and we need a meaningful voice in determining safe staffing levels so we can provide the community with safe, timely access to care,” reads a WSNA advisory about the Jan. 22 rally.

The union is also seeking competitive wages to recruit and retain the best nurses.

“Skagit Regional risks losing nursing staff to other hospitals in the region that pay more,” the WSNA adds. “Nurses are committed to this community and the patients we serve, but we struggle to provide care because of staffing concerns. Skagit Regional must bring nurse wages up to competitive levels to recruit and retain good nurses so that we can give the community the care they deserve.”

The union says Skagit Regional management is seeking to cut health and retirement benefits for the members.

All are invited to support these nurses in Mount Vernon on Tuesday, Jan. 22. (See the Facebook event page for more information.)

WSNA is a leading voice and advocate for nurses in Washington state, providing representation, education and resources that allow nurses to reach their full professional potential and focus on caring for patients. WSNA represents more than 17,000 registered nurses for collective bargaining who provide care in hospitals, clinics, schools and community and public health settings across the state.