WSNA Webinar April 9, 2020 1 State advocacy Request for - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

WSNA Webinar April 9, 2020

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State advocacy

• Request for transparency​
• Conversations with State Leaders​
• L&I workers compensation
• Vulnerable workers

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State advocacy

Child Care Resources: 1-800-446-1114 Housing Options

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Hashtag campaign - selfie@wsna.org

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L&I Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) complaints

Lack of PPE Inappropriate use and reuse of PPE Lack of training and proper use Concern on cleaning & maintenance of PPE

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Grays Harbor Community Hospital Kadlec Regional Medical Center Multicare Tacoma General Hospital MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital Overlake Hospital Medical Center PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center Seattle Children's Hospital

• St. Joseph Medical Center (Tacoma)

PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center (Bellingham) Virginia Mason Medical Center

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COVID agreements

• Paid leave due to Covid-19 exposure
• Timely notification of exposure/assessment/testing
• Accommodate nurses in high risk groups
• Proper PPE including scrubs and a secure location to change
• Low census and float where appropriate.
• Hazard pay

Petition - 17,000+ wsna.org/covid-19

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COVID-19 Healthy Workplace Survey – wsna.org/covid-19

Nearly 2,000 responses so far

• 2 out of 3 nurses required to use the same respirator
• r facemask to care for more than one patient
• 2 out of 3 nurses required to use the same respirator
• r facemask for an entire shift
• 1 out of 3 nurses not notified by the employer when

exposed to COVID 19 patients

• 77% are concerned/very concerned about

transmitting COVID-19 to family members

• 80% are stressed/very stressed during this COVID-19

crisis

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Member voices

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We are required to use a surgical mask the whole shift to go in and out of COVID and non-COVID rooms. The hospital states this is per CDC

• guidelines. Do you think

surgical mask used for 12 hours will protect us from getting infected with the disease? ▪ No established length of time for wearing a facemask/N-95 ▪ Change when mask becomes soiled, damaged or hard to breathe ▪ Continuous wear for multiple patients preferred over donning/ doffing ▪ Use N-95 for aerosol generating procedures ▪ Consider use of a face shield Meticulous hand hygiene

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What is the true effectiveness of homemade masks? Should we be wearing these when we are not doing patient care and interacting with coworkers since, we aren’t allowed to wear masks at that time?

▪ Homemade masks not considered PPE ▪ Protection varies ▪ Extended use of facemasks between patient recommended ▪ Use of homemade masks with a face shield only recommended when facemasks/N-95 supply is exhausted ▪ Homemade masks are recommended for public as adjunct to social distancing

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I have found conflicting information about aerosolized particles and how long they can remain in the air. How long is it recommended that everyone in the room protect themselves using airborne precautions? Time varies depending on: ▪ Size of room; air pressure/air exchanges per hour; time patient was in the room; coughing/sneezing; aerosol generating procedure ▪ Allow sufficient time for air exchanges to remove potentially infectious particles ▪ CDC provides general guidance

• n clearance rates

▪ Consult with your IP and facilities personnel

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Is it an acceptable practice to de- contaminate N-95 respirators for reuse?

• CDC/NIOSHdo not recommend

cleaning disposable N-95 respirators

• Avoid attempts to clean at home;

autoclaving; use of disinfectant wipes

• Per the CDC, N-95 decontamination/

reuse considered in crisis situation to support availability

• 3/28/2020 the FDA issued emergency

authorization for use of the Battelle system to decontaminate compatible N-95 respirators

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How can an organization claim that although employees have tested positive for COVID-19, they did not contract it through direct patient care but through community exposure?

How to File a Workers Comp Claim

https://lni.wa.gov/claims/for-workers/file-a- claim/

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• It should be assumed that health

care workers acquired the COVID-19 virus in the line of duty.

• WSNA raised this issue with the

Governor and we are hopeful there will be important clarity on this issue coming soon.

• If you are not permitted to work,

and are not being paid, or you are required to use your earned time off due to COVID-19 exposure or a positive test, you should file a workers compensation claim.

• Consult with your health care provider and talk to your employer

about your need for reasonable accommodation.

• WSNA is working with the Governor’s office to

provide clear guidance to employers to make reasonable accommodationsfor at risk workers and if reasonable accommodationscannot be met, to prevent employers from taking adverse action againstemployeesand ensure continued access to health benefits and an opportunityto return to work after this crisis ends.

• WSNA has called on employers to bargain with us on number
• f COVID-19 issues including workplace accommodation and that

work continues.

• You may also be entitled to unemployment benefits.

Visit https://esd.wa.gov/unemployment for more information.

I am a high risk

• employee. Currently

taking FMLA to stay home due to my high risk and PPE

• availability. What

are other options? What do I need to ask for?

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What are our rights if our employer can’t provide PPE? Can we refuse to enter COVID rooms? At what point is it considered patient abandonment?

www.wsna.org/covid-19

You may have to make a decision about accepting an assign- ment involving abnormally dangerous conditions that pose an imminent risk to your safety and health and could poten- tially cause serious injury or death. If you have already accepted the assignment your profes- sional license may be at risk if you fail to continue that assignment, unless you have handed off the assignment and been relieved of responsibility for the patient. If you decide to refuse the assignment, you should remain at the workplace and offer to perform other work that does not pose an imminent risk to your safety and health (e.g., an assignment for which you are provided proper safety equipment and training). A decision to refuse an assignment could result in discipli- nary action taken against you by the employer. Under the collective bargaining agreement between the employer and WSNA, there must be “just cause” for any discipline. WSNA would defend you if you are subjected to unjust discipline, but resolution of any such discipline would likely be delayed and the outcome may be uncertain as a result of the current national and state emergency declarations.

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What state resources are available in terms of unemployment benefits, paid sick and family medical leave, and workers comp?

www.esd.wa.gov/newsroom/covid-19

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www.wsna.org/covid-19

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Webinar info online https://wsna.to/aprilcovid

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SLIDES FROM WEBINAR RECORDING OF WEBINAR KEY LINKS/RESOURCES

Please reach out to your WSNA local unit officers or Nurse Representative for additional questions or concerns

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Thank You For Attending!

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