FFS. They had the fucking answer and they fucking tabled and killed it in the fucking state senate.

Two things will draw in nurses and make WA a nursing Mecca.

1. Pass HB1868 and the nurses will simply materialize. There is no nursing shortage, especially here, with all of the many nursing schools churning out grads each year.

What there is, is a shortage of nurses willing to work bedside. New grads who nope right out fairly quickly thinking they made a mistake. Vets going on hiatus or traveling. Retiring early. Taking that desk job. Working in insurance. Etc.

2. Zero LEGAL tolerance for violence or sexually inappropriate behavior toward health care workers. Hospitals will never do this. Never. It might upset patients and family. Also, the current state of pressing charges means your home address will be on the report. The aggressor gets a copy. Encourages everyone to press charges, amiright? (I’m not talking about TBIs and Alzheimer’s, I’m talking patients and family who are of sound mind but choose to be assholes).

You politically savvy folks could get some ballot measures going that could fix this shit right up. Clearly our present lawmakers aren’t doing shit. Maybe playing cards with the clueless senator who thinks that is what we do all day.