SEATTLE -- Hundreds of registered nurses held an informational picket outside Seattle Children's Hospital on Tuesday to fight for better wages, better benefits and paid family leave. They claim short staffing has forced some patients to get care someplace else.

Shawn and Jessica Krohn placed a sign on their daughter's stroller that read "Seattle Children's Nurses Saved My Life." 18-month-old Adelaide spent seven months at Seattle Children's after being born prematurely at 1 pound, 2 ounces.

"The sign is because nurses not once, not twice, multiple times saved her life during coding events and day-to-day care," Jessica Krohn said. "We feel completely indebted to Children’s and to the nurses for really getting us through that time."

The Krohns said they went to Tuesday's picket, in part, to say "thank you" to the nurses who allowed them to bring their daughter home.

"It’s the very least we could do for basically allowing us to bring our daughter home," Jessica Krohn said. "I think our situation could have been a lot different anywhere else. The quality of nursing care here is the best there is."

The registered nurses who participated in Tuesday's picket said they're fighting to keep it that way. Their current contract expired on July 31, several nurses said.

Negotiations with the hospital over a new three-year contract began in early June, but both sides have yet to reach an agreement, officials from the Washington State Nurses Association said.



Nurses like Jenny Botello, who works in the hospital's medical unit, said short staffing has forced her to work 16-hour shifts at times. Some patients have had to be taken elsewhere for care, other nurses added.

"One of the reasons why we’re picketing so much is we can’t afford to live in this community. We take care of the sickest children in the region and yet we can’t live within the same community to make sure we get to work on time," Botello said.

Neither side would share specific details about the negotiations.

In a statement released by Seattle Children's Hospital, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Madlyn Murrey said:



Seattle Children’s and the Washington State Nursing Association (WSNA) are in the process of negotiating a new contract. The WSNA has decided to hold an informational picket in order to communicate this to the public. The informational picket is not a strike and will not impact patient care as we expect nurses to report to work as scheduled.

As a nationally recognized top employer and leader in children’s healthcare, we have a long tradition of deeply valuing and supporting our team members. Our nurses at Seattle Children’s are vital members of our team who are integral to providing the highest level of care to the patients and families we serve. While we cannot share the details of ongoing negotiations, we are diligently working to make progress and are committed to continuing to work collaboratively with the WSNA in order to reach a fair agreement as soon as possible. Additionally, Seattle Children’s will continue to provide negotiation updates directly to Seattle Children’s WSNA nurses.

More than 1,400 registered nurses are represented by the WSNA, a spokeswoman said.

"What I’m hoping is our management sees the support that we have, as you can tell by the people who are driving by and walking by, that the nurses are part of our community," said Lindsey Kirsch, a nurse in the hospital's emergency department. "We are the community. We are supporting the community. We're here to take care of the community in the safest possible way for our patients. We're here everyday for our patients."

