Throughout the pandemic, health care workers have worked tirelessly and risked their own lives to protect all of us. Now they need our help to create safe working conditions that ensures patients get the care they need.
Countless health care workers are burned out and at the breaking point after being on the front lines of the pandemic. Washington has faced a shortage of medical staff for years, but the last two years have turned this challenge into a statewide crisis. In a recent poll, half of health care workers said they’re likely to quit within the next few years and short staffing was one of the biggest reasons.
Overworked and underpaid health care workers have asked hospital executives for safe staffing for years and have been denied. At the same, these CEOs have received millions of dollars in bonuses during the pandemic.
When hospitals don’t have enough staff, both patients and health care workers suffer. That’s why we’re joining our partners in supporting legislation to require hospitals to follow safe staffing standards to improve safety for workers and patients. HB 1868 would protect health care workers from dangerously high patient loads and require hospital executives to adequately staff their hospitals. This would improve care for patients and prevent hospitals from continuing to stretch their staff as much as possible.
Will you join us in urging your legislators to support our essential health care workers?
