The RONA Compass

Spring 2026 – Issue 2

Link:

---

Feature Article:

The Nurse & Summer: Hot and Fun in the Sun?!

By Karli Kooi, BSN, RN

1000 words – approximately a 10 minute read

As the seasons have shifted from the temperamental grays of spring to the growing heat of summer, us nurses begin to observe the effects in our communities. Washington summers are getting longer and hotter (WADOH) due to climate change. Studies show that worldwide, exposure to extreme heat is growing exponentially (WHO). Starting on June 21st this summer, unexpected heat waves across Europe began and the World Health Organization has attributed 1300 additional deaths to the soaring temperatures (BBC 2026). As the summer heat only grows, it is essential for nurses to anticipate and recognize summer concerns for health.

With rising temperatures, many public health departments are assisting communities with staying cool. One such example is the operation of “Cooling Centers”, air-conditioned locations where people can find a cooler indoors. Resources from the counties RONA serves can be found at the following webpages: Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Thurston County Public Health, Jefferson County Public Health, and Kitsap Public Health. Grays Harbor County Emergency Management appears to issue high heat warnings. No resources were found specific to summer or heat on Mason County webpages. Public health authorities generally share the same advice, summarized here: Seek shade, stay hydrated, and know the signs of heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. To keep indoors cooler even without air conditioning, try covering windows, staying on lower floors, and reduce oven or stove usage. Check in on your neighbors and community, especially the young and elderly, and before and after nighttime. The night can be a sneaky time for heat to become unsafe: resources like cooling centers are generally not open then, and so non-cooled indoor environments can exhaust a person with limited options of other places to be. Discuss with your patients how they anticipate caring for themselves during the hot summer months while considering unique factors such as mobility, access to services, fluid restrictions, and other individualized influences. 

Another significant element of summer is an increase in traumatic accidents and injuries: “Trauma Season”. It is both a perception among inpatient nurses and a statistical fact that with summer comes an increase in Emergency Department visits and traumatic admissions. A study examining pediatric trauma admissions found that “each degree increase in temperature increased the rate of trauma admissions by 4%” (PMC 2020). During the 2021 Pacific Northwest Heat Wave, a retrospective study on injury deaths in Washington state found an estimated total of 159 excess injury deaths … during the 3-week period (Am J Public Health 2023). Finally, increased heat exposure – temperatures in the 95th percentile – were strongly linked to “increased deaths from circulatory diseases as well as “external” causes of death associated with injuries and accidents, such as transport accidents, falls, and drowning.” (YSPH 2025). Discuss with patients what summer activities they enjoy, and focus on opportunities for both connection and personalized health promotion when they mention their pastimes. Do they enjoy swimming and boating? Promote safety tips for recreational water activities (WADOH) such as using floatation devices, avoiding any mind-altering substances such as alcohol or marijuana, and supervising all children and less strong swimmers. Avoid underestimating just how cold water can be or overestimating the safe depth of a body of water. Drowning is the second highest cause of death for ages 1-17 in Washington State (WADOH 2016). Hiking, biking, sporting, playing outside? Encourage having a safety plan, wearing appropriate gear, knowing your surroundings, and doing it with others. You can learn more at resources like Safety Essentials: A ToolKit for Hikers (WTA), Playground Safety During Warm Weather (WADOH 2026), and Summer Safety from the Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center (HIPRC). Accidents and injuries can occur to even the most experienced, safest, and prepared people – but it is surely less likely for those who try their best!

With the summer sunshine, more people are basking in the sunny outdoors. Be on the lookout for an increase in sunburns for all ages and backgrounds! Unprotected sun exposure can not only obviously cause redness and pain, but can affect the body deeper than what can be seen and felt through damaging skin cells and increasing the risk of skin cancers. It is essential to make wise choices when basking in the sun, and focus on consistent sunscreen use, protective layers, and staying shaded when UV rays are the highest. It is also critical to remember that unprotected sun exposure can affect skin of all shades. In fact, research shows patients with darker skin tones are more likely to perceive less importance to sunscreen, while also having worse melanoma [skin cancer] clinical outcomes (CJMS 2023). Everyone should be practicing sun exposure safety! Learn more about Sunscreens and Sun Safety from the Washington State Department of Health. 

Now, health in the summer season is not all stressful. Lots of friends and family may also get together outdoors for different celebrations! With any outdoor events, it is important to consider food safety when eating in hotter weather. The temperature of the potluck pasta dish that sits out in the park shelter at your nephew’s birthday party can quickly rise and stay in the ‘danger zone’ temperature of 40 degrees fahrenheit (4degrees C) – 140 degrees fahrenheit (40 degrees C) (USDA 2023). It would spoil the fun to eat something spoiled! From the Washington State Department of Health, you can learn more about Food Safety Tips and specifically, tips for Barbecue and Picnic Food Safety (WADOH). And as always, practice hand hygiene when preparing and enjoying food by washing your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds, or using hand sanitizer and rubbing until dry (CDC 2024).

Finally, while the busy summer time may distract from some routine care, it is still vital to continue focusing on general safe and healthy behaviors. While it isn’t ‘flu season’, there are still plenty of opportunities for health promotion following recommended health practices around vaccination (WADOH), including for vaccines like Tdap, Hepatitis B, and more! Summer will eventually end, and with it, September and the school and flu season will arrive before we know it.

---

A Message from Your Incoming President

Gordon West, President

I would be remiss not to pause and offer a heartfelt thank you to our outgoing president, Tami Green. Tami’s leadership has been a gift to this association—her steady guidance, tireless advocacy, and genuine care for our members have left a lasting mark on everything RONA is today. Her years of service on the board reflect a deep commitment to nursing and to this community that we do not take for granted. Tami, on behalf of the entire membership, thank you. We are better because of you, and we wish you all the best in the chapter ahead- looking forward to your ongoing engagement in RONA!

---

2026 Nurse of the Year

“Advocating for our patients, our practice, and the future of healthcare is not easy, but together we are stronger, together our voices are louder and together we create meaningful change”

We are honored to celebrate Rainier Olympic Nurses Association 2026 nurse of the year, Kathleen Jabasa. Kat’s career began at age 19 in the Philippines, where she followed in her mothers and her grandmother‘s footsteps to become a nurse. 

In 2019 after starting at st joseph’s medical center tacoma, she served as a local unit bargaining team member and grievance officer. While precepting new nurses, Kat began to question why she was paid less than nurses with less experience. At that time, international nurses from countries, including the Philippines, were only having half of their work experience counted, which placed them on a lower salary step. Kat brought her concerns to her local unit leadership and Washington State Nurses Association who helped her fight to change the policy. Even though the policy change was successful, the hospital resisted re-stepping all 31 nurses impacted. Once again Kat advocated for herself and her fellow nurses, insisting the situation be remedied without further delay. Reflecting on this fight for equity, Kat said, ‘the victory is more than financial, it is a restoration of dignity, our pride and our rightful place in the field of nursing”.

Congratulations, Kat!

---

2026 Lifetime Achievement Recipients

MIKE KRASHIN

Mike’s journey to nursing began in 1983 as a medic in the Army to see if he really wanted to pursue healthcare. In 1984 Mike began working on a step down ICU unit at the old Madigan Army Medical Center Hospital.

Mike eventually found his way to working at Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, where he served as a local unit leader through several contract negotiations and as a local unit chair. He also stepped up to leadership roles at WSNA, where he served as a delegate for the ANA House of delegates conventions. Mike also served on the WSNA Economic and General Welfare cabinet, including multiple terms as chair of the cabinet. 

During this time, Mike also became a leader at Pierce County Nurses Association [PCNA]. Over two decades Mike served terms on the board as a director as well as two stents as president, each lasting 4 to 8 years. even after stepping back from being on the board of directors, he continued to serve as a committee chair for the banquet committee, which requires a very strong leader. 

Mike’s quiet, and steady leadership has made our annual celebrations successful. 

Mike has attended countless presentations to nursing students across our region, sharing the story of his nursing career with young and future nurses. In his words, he wanted them to know that “nursing is big enough that you can do anything you want”. 

EVELYN STREET

Evelyn‘s career in nursing Began as an LPN working on MedSurg at St Clare Hospital, where she found that she could really make a difference in her patient’s lives. It was this realization that inspired her to return to school to obtain her RN.

After becoming RN and working at St Clare, Evelyn took on leadership roles, first with staffing and nurse, practice, committees, and then cochair of the local unit. From there she moved on to leadership roles at WSNA. She served on the E&GW cabinet, WSNF board and the WSNA board directors as well as a delegate for the ANA house of delegates. 

After leaving St Clare Hospital, Evelyn worked at Capital Medical Center in Olympia, where she found a new passion sharing her knowledge by providing education to fellow nurses to ensure best practices were followed. 

Evelyn said the most important aspect of nursing, is to make a difference in a patient’s life. The way to make a difference in your patient’s life is to first make a difference in your workplace. Making a difference in a Nurses work life gives them the confidence and competence to provide excellent care to patients. 

Evelyn also became active in PCNA leadership. She served several terms on the board as a Director as well as two terms as president. During her presidency, PCNA began to evolve. She worked closely with the executive director to professionalize the association, putting in place policies and procedures implementing a new pointing grid for awarding scholarships, bringing in a bookkeeper to provide detailed monthly financial reports and the long process of transitioning the association from a 501(c) six to a 501(c) three organization.

In addition to serving on the board, Evelyn has served on the scholarship committee, finance committee, banquet committee, and is currently working as our newsletter editor.

When asked why she steps up to lead and why she stays involved, she shared that it’s not only about supporting her fellow Nurses, but also to have fellowship with peers and also “to laugh at the end of a hard day”.

---