Providence nurses poised to strike Tuesday over staff shortages, safety concerns

EVERETT, Wash. — Unless there are some 11th-hour negotiations or a settlement, it looks like nurses at a major Snohomish County hospital could walk off the job for days.

It’s a situation that could compromise care at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett but some nurses are saying that care is already compromised due to poor staffing at the hospital.

Nurses at PRMC say a lack of staff means people at the hospital often wait hours for care. Some say their own safety is also at risk. A call to fix all that and more will come with a strike that could last for days.

KIRO 7 sat down Monday with Kristy Carrington, Chief Executive for North Puget Sound Providence. She gave us a preview of how the hospital plans to handle things during the five-day strike.

“We value our nurses. We couldn’t do what we do every day without them. It’s disappointing that they’ve made a decision to strike,” said Carrington.

For Carrington, a strike by nurses has meant a scramble to find replacement staff.

“We’re here before the strike, we’ll be here during the strike and will be after the strike as well. We have replacement nurses but we also have volunteers, both clinical and non-clinical volunteers, that will be here at the hospital the rest of the week,” said Carrington.

Some nurses say staffing shortages leading to long wait times aren’t the only issue; they also contend that waiting rooms can often become impromptu treatment areas.

That, along with safety and salary concerns, is why Providence nurses have picket signs ready for the strike starting at 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

Staffing was a primary concern for nurses who hit the picket line recently outside Virginia Mason Hospital.

Carrington actually agrees with nurses that staffing, in general, is a concern across the healthcare industry.

“Nursing shortages are not a new issue, this is not just an Everett issue, this is a global issue,” she said.

Carrington says there is no plan to bargain Monday or while the strike is on, so it’s looking like the contract nurses will not be at work for several days.

“We want them back, we’ll welcome them back and look forward to getting back to the bargaining table,” she said.

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