For years we have been raising the alarm about the staffing crisis in our hospitals — a crisis that predates the pandemic and has led to burnout and serious concerns about the quality of care we are able to provide with fewer resources. Our turnover rates are higher than ever. Meanwhile, wages at our hospitals keep falling further and further behind market rates, and the cost of living in the Seattle area continues to go up. We cannot afford to sit by and continue watching our coworkers leave the bedside in droves.
