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Saturday, April 20, 2019

Senator states that nurses “probably play cards for a considerable amount of the day” in amending rest breaks bill

In perhaps one of the most demeaning statements on the nursing profession since Joy Behar’s 2015 “doctor’s stethoscope” comments on The View, Washington State Senator Maureen Walsh proclaimed on the Senate floor that Critical Access Hospital nurses should be exempt from protections in mandatory overtime because they sit around and play cards most of the day:
“I understand… making sure that we have ‘rest breaks’ and things like that. But I also understand that we need to care for patients first and foremost… I would submit to you that those [critical access hospital] nurses probably do get breaks! They probably play cards for a considerable amount of the day!”
– -Sen. Maureen Walsh 4/16/19 comments on SHB 1155, a bill eliminating loopholes in mandatory overtime
Ignoring for a moment the incredibly disrespectful and patronizing nature of Sen. Walsh’s remarks, it’s evident that she misunderstands the purpose and function of the bill. Mandatory overtime isn’t just an abhorrent employer practice: it’s also a terrible patient care practice. 
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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

She confuses nurses with the employees of Onion World Restaurant.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a Democrat to me.

Anonymous said...

She is right. RN's sit on their fat asses while the CNA's, LPN's and Tech's do all the work. If you don't believe me look at PRMC, Deers Head, Salisbury Nursing Home and Chesapeake Rehab Hospital.

Anonymous said...

You can'st compare the shore to real hospitals. I just spent many days in one elsewhere and all of the staff was on it.

Anonymous said...

April 21, 2019 at 5:42 AM;

The Trauma Team at PRMC saved my life, as well as any big city hospital could have. And the nurses care and implementation of the doctor's orders got me through some pretty iffy moments in the ICU for four days. You should just stay over there with the "real" hospitals. We won't miss you. God forbid our first rate hospital saves your life. They should leave you in a hallway on a gurney (not that they would) after a comment like yours. Patients like you get the service they deserve, and in your case, better than you deserve. And that say a lot about nurses, and the patients they are charged with providing nursing care for.