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Governor meets with members to address safety issues

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Members of WFSE Local 793 met with the Governor today to discuss on-going safety issues at Western State Hospital (WSH).

The members are seeking action to make WSH safer for both staff and patients.

Here's a review of the actions requested:

STAFFING FOR PATIENT CARE AND A SAFER WORKPLACE

  • More direct care staffing on wards (MHT's, LPN's, PSN, PSA, IC's)
  • Fill open positions by use of recruitment center and effective hiring/recruitment practices
  • PERT (emergency response) staff available to all shifts.
  • Limit use of non-permanent and on-call staff by hiring permanent staff. This includes transitioning long-term non-perms permanent.
  • Restore float pool for weekend shifts to reduce overtime.
  • No more manager hires. Ward administrators and RN3's are not direct care staff.

TRAINING TO KEEP UP SAFE

  • Hands-on training beyond CPI, sucha s Personal Safety Training.
  • De-escalation tactics training is needed — not "retreat and run" as taught in CPI training.
  • Daily briefings on patient acuity needed for all areas.
  • One-on-one training.

ACCOUNTABILITY

  • Protocol for protecting staff when violent behavior is proven and reported.
  • Direct care staff need to be involved in decision-making on patient treatment plan following an assault to ensure future staff safety.
  • Permanent seats for WFSE members on the Nursing Staff Effectiveness Committee.
  • Ad Hoc Safety Committee with Governor's Office.
  • Labor and Industries Safety Office on site at Western State Hospital.
  • Timely incident  investigations. 
  • Review of assaults on staff in the past six months.
  • Yearly Security Incident Response (SIRS).
  • Workplace Injury Reports and administration report of incidents.
  • Thorough review of "felony flips" and "no Axis 1" diagnosis patients and assaults.
  • Approve assault benefits

RESPECT OUR RIGHTS

  • Respect our right to file charges with law enforcement.
  • Not fair that RN's and Psychiartrists can file charges when assaulted but direct care staff are prohibited. This needs to change.

[PHOTO: Sue Henricksen, Council President; Greg Devereux, Council Executive Director, Matt Zuvic, Council Lobbyist, Eliga Sacks, Local 793 President, John Hansen, Local 793 Vice President, Maria Claudio, Mike Yestramski, Craig Gibelyou).