Washington state Sen. Maureen Walsh (R) apologized Monday after receiving heated backlash for claiming last week that nurses in small, rural hospitals “probably play cards for a considerable amount” of their work shifts. “I would submit to you that those nurses probably do get breaks,” Walsh said on the Senate floor. The Senate approved it March 16, including Walsh’s amendment excluding small, rural hospitals from the uninterrupted breaks requirement. The measure also includes another Walsh-backed amendment limiting the number of hours nurses can work in a 24-hour period. The Washington State Nurses Association vehemently opposes both amendments, calling them “unworkable for most hospitals and unfair to nurses.”

Source: Huffington Post April 23, 2019 13:41 UTC