Senator Maureen Walsh inundated with decks of playing cards to protest her remarks against nurses

The Post Office has been working overtime delivering binloads filled with decks of playing cards to the office of Maureen Walsh, the Republican Senator from Walla Walla, Washington, following the senator’s recent disparaging remarks about nurses.  During a recently heated debate on a bill that would impose rigid nursing scheduling requirements on hospitals, Walsh raised concerns that the measure would force small-town hospitals to close – and said that those nurses already get plenty of breaks, and might even spend a “considerable amount of the day” playing cards.

Social media was quick to pick up on Walsh’s comment; and calls went out to any and all nurses and nursing supporters to mail the senator a deck of cards in protest.

To date, about 1,700 decks of cards have been delivered to Walsh’s office at the Capitol in Olympia from nurses and nurses’ supporters from across the country. Walsh has since apologized for her comments; but the cards are still coming. Now she has to figure out what to do with them.

“I like poker as much as anyone, but I think I’m pretty well stocked up right now,” Walsh said. “One thing’s for sure. It’s a good time to be in the playing-card business.”

Walsh plans to distribute the cards to nursing homes and veterans’ and senior centers. She has enlisted fellow senators in helping identify facilities that might be able to use them.

Walsh said she regrets the remarks, but remains firmly opposed to House Bill 1155, which would mandate that small-town hospitals, as well as large urban facilities, provide uninterrupted rest and meal breaks to nurses during their shifts. The union-backed measure would dramatically increase staffing costs by requiring the hiring of more nurses, and Walsh says she is concerned the expense would drive low-traffic smaller hospitals out of business.

“I wish I could take my words back, but the issue remains important,” she said. “Our critical access hospitals serve an important role in smaller communities across the state. Many already are operating in the red, and this could put them under.”

Walsh’s office has also received 10,000 emails and more than 35,000 phone calls since last Friday, when video of her comments was circulated by the bill’s advocates. News accounts indicate that more than a half-million nurses have signed a petition urging Walsh to shadow a nurse for a day on a 12-hour shift. The senator said she looks forward to receiving the petition and will be glad to accept.

(Source: SRC)

~ Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter