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Washington State
Nurses Association
2505 Second Avenue, Suite
500
Seattle, WA 98121
206-443-9762
wsna@wsna.org
http://www.wsna.org/
January 14,
2000
Nursing Organizations Join
Forces to Support Needlestick Injury Prevention
Legislation
Olympia, WA - Washington's three largest nursing and
health care worker organizations, Washington
State Nurses Association (WSNA), Service Employees
International Union (SEIU) 1199/NW, and United
Staff Nurses Union Local 141 of United Food and
Commercial Workers (UFCW), announced their joint
support of Senate Bill 6416. WSNA, SEIU 1199/NW
and Local 141 UFCW together represent over 22,000
nurses and health care workers in the state. The
bill receives its first hearing this session in
the Senate Health Care Committee on Monday,
January 17th.
"I am so pleased that we are ALL
rallying together around this important issue.
Senate Bill 6416 is the right thing to do. Unless
we can ensure the safety of our care givers, how
can we promote wellness for our patients?" said
Jan Bussert, BSN, RN, President of WSNA. With over
43,000 needlesticks annually in Washington state
alone, the risk of a healthcare worker getting
stuck by a needle is very high. Nationally, about
1,000 workers contract Hepatitis B, C, or HIV from
needlestick injuries and of those about 100 people
die annually.
Diane Sosne, President of SEIU/1199
NW reminds the public that "there is no need for
this to happen when 80% of the injuries can be
eliminated through safety devices. Washington
should pass a law to require these safety devices
and save healthcare workers lives!" Marilyn
Savage, President of Local 141 UFCW agrees,
"Sharps and needlestick injuries continue to
jeopardize the health and safety of health care
workers in the state of Washington. It is
imperative that SB 6416 be passed. The technology
is available, let's use it."
Senate Bill 6416 will require
that:
safe needle systems be established for
standard use unless workers determine they would
jeopardize employee or patient safety
employers have a written injury control plan
that would be updated annually
front-line worker participation in selection
and evaluation of various engineer control
products
employers maintain a detailed needlestick
injury log
National health and safety expert
Susan Wilburn, MPH, BSN, RN, will testify before
the Senate Health Care Committee. In addition,
registered nurses and other health care workers
who have sustained needlestick injuries will also
testify. The hearing is on Monday, January
17th, at 1:30 p.m. in Senate Hearing
Room 4 in Olympia.
Founded in 1908, WSNA is a
constituent of the American Nurses Association and
is recognized by the National Labor Relations
Board as a collective bargaining agent. WSNA
represents and promotes the professional
development of more than 11,000 nurses in
Washington state and their economic and general
welfare by projecting a positive and realistic
view of nursing, and by informing the Legislature
and regulatory agencies of health care issues
affecting registered nurses and the citizens of
Washington state.
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