Senator Says 'Nurses Play Cards All Day'

Senator Maureen Walsh thinks nurses who work in critical access hospitals should be exempt from the State's mandatory overtime law. Why? Because for some reason she believes these nurses "play cards for a considerable amount of the day".

Walsh also goes on to say that “if nurses get tired, let's stop letting them do 12 hours shifts, let's make them do 8-hour shifts. 12 hours, I know they want it but, then they come back and start talking out of both sides of their mouth and telling us how tired they are."

In Washington State, Bill SHB 1155 was originally intended to protect the lunch and rest breaks for nurses who work 12 hours per day or more, and limit mandatory overtime.

As the husband of a nurse, I can tell you nurses routinely work more than 12 hour shifts. Usually more like 13 to 14 hour shifts. I can also tell you she, nor any nurses I've met have ever complained, or as Walsh suggests "talk out of both sides of their mouth" about it.

Senator Maureen Walsh, I know nurses quite well. You clearly do not and have no idea how badly you've stepped in it.