Kate Walters
Reporter
About
Kate Walters is a reporter covering Covid-19 and the many ways the pandemic has impacted our lives. She's covered personal experiences of community members, state and local policies, affects on the healthcare system, and more. In the past, Kate has reported on homelessness for KUOW, as well as general assignment stories ranging from city hall politics to sea stars. Originally from Australia, Kate studied journalism at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). She started her career in public radio at WXXI in Rochester, NY.
Location: Seattle
Languages: English
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Stories
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WA legislators weigh mandating nurse-to-patient ratios in hospitals
Nurses across Washington state are experiencing the stress of short staffing in hospitals. One solution currently being proposed in the state legislature is the creation of nurse-to-patient ratios, requiring a cap on the number of patients a hospital nurse can care for at any given time.
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Can AI help increase expression of empathy?
These days, someone seeking mental health support can find a variety of online communities to talk through what they’re feeling. In these communities, peers are usually responding, and empathy is key. A team led by University of Washington researchers studied whether AI can help peer supporters interacting on text-based online platforms respond with more empathy.
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Seattle, King County drop Covid vaccine requirement for employees
King County and City of Seattle employees will no longer be required to have the Covid-19 vaccine to keep their job. Originally put in place in 2021, the mandate required proof of the initial vaccine series as a condition of employment for city and county workers. On Monday, officials dropped it, effective immediately.
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Robot joins the ranks at Spokane hospital
Hospitals across Washington state continue to struggle with staffing levels, and some are getting creative with potential ways to lighten the load for nurses. A Spokane hospital has welcomed a robot named Moxi to its care team.
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Increasing overdose deaths stress King County morgue
King County is experiencing a grim indicator of how bad the opioid crisis has become — a lack of space to store bodies. Public Health Director Faisal Khan said the Medical Examiner's office has finite space in the coolers they use, and that space is being exceeded on a regular basis.
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Finding an eating disorder therapist is hard. This program aims to change that
For many people around Washington state, finding treatment for eating disorders within their community can be incredibly hard. In an effort to expand access to that care, Seattle Children’s Hospital started a training program for mental health care providers to learn the ropes of treating patients with eating disorders.
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Seattle hospital temporarily diverting some patients
Harborview Medical Center has temporarily stopped accepting some patients due to excessively high patient volumes.
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Washington’s youngest kids can now get an updated Covid-19 booster
Kids under 5 are now able to get an updated Covid-19 booster shot in Washington state. Federal regulators approved the omicron-specific shots for young kids last week, and providers in the state started receiving doses Monday.
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Washington hospitals say financial situation remains dire as viruses surge
Hospitals across Washington state continued to see financial losses in the third quarter of this year, according to survey results from the Washington State Hospital Association released Tuesday.
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Where are you when it comes to masking?
The conversation around masking is once again bubbling to the surface as Washington state deals with the triple threat of Covid-19, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This comes at a time when the healthcare system is already under immense strain. Hospitals are often running at, or over, capacity and hospital leaders said Tuesday that they continue to see large financial losses that are starting to lead to reductions and cuts to services in some areas.
