National Nurses United

A P R I L | M AY | J U N E 2 0 1 9 W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G N A T I O N A L N U R S E 15 E ach year, there's a special week to honor America's most trusted profession: nurses! We become nurses because it's our calling, and we do it for our patients, not for acco- lades. But we also know that the oath we take to help and heal all people—is constant- ly hindered by employers who cut corners to boost profits. And that makes management's "We appreciate you!" box of Krispy Kremes during Nurses Week fall a bit flat. "One time [during Nurses Week, the hospital hired] a clown, which was supreme- ly insulting. We often get donuts; we often get pizza. These are things that are cheap, don't require much thought, and it reflects how the hospital thinks about us," said RN Toni Fowler, of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, where nurses are fighting to form a union with the help of National Nurses United. (Did JHH think a clown would cheer up the short-staffed nurses?) A May National Nurses United Facebook post asking "What's the most ridiculous thing management has given out for Nurses Week?" netted responses ranging from "special rocks with calming words on them" to "cake pops— and you could only have one." A slice of pepperoni will never be as satis- fying to us as having the protections and resources we need to provide safe patient care. This Nurses Week, here are a few things nurses really want: Safe nurse-to-patient staffing ratios "I bet if I had more patients, I could provide even better care!" … said no one, ever. Yet, in 49 states, it's perfectly legal for health care employers to boost profits by saddling one nurse with more patients than she can safely care for at once. This not only puts our patients' lives at risk, but it also creates major stress, panic, liability, and burnout for nurses. What we really want is for employers to show us some respect by assigning plenty of staff, so we can all safely care for sick and injured patients. Union nurses have stood together and used solidarity to win change, with the Califor- nia Nurses Association winning safe staffing ratios in California. National Nurses United is also championing safe staffing at the federal level and at the state level. The good news? New federal safe staffing bills, sponsored by National Nurses United, have been introduced! Join NNU's Facebook page where we will post actions and ways to contact your legislator to tell them to sign on! Protections from an epidemic of violence Violence against nurses and other health care and social assistance workers has reached epidemic proportions. Between 2011 and 2016, at least 58 hospital workers died as a result of violence in their workplaces. Studies show that having a comprehen- sive, unit-specific violence prevention plan in place—created with the input of employ- ees—can drastically reduce violence. But our employers will never enact those plans on their own. Nurses have held them accountable through workplace violence prevention contract language, and also through legislation. RNs with the California Nurses Associa- tion/National Nurses United fought to win nation-leading workplace violence protections in the Golden State, mandating that all Califor- nia health care employers must have a compre- hensive, unit-specific prevention plan in place. And because all nurses across the country deserve to be safe at work, NNU is also spon- soring federal workplace violence legislation, authored by Rep. Joe Courtney. Tell your representative to sign onto H.R. 1309, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act! The power of our collective voice Nurses must be able to advocate for our pa - tients as a unified front, with the full power of our collective voice! On that note, what would really make us feel respected—is management respecting our right to form a union. "For Nurses Week, we want to have the busting activities stopped," said Fowler, whose effort to unionize, along with her Johns Hopkins Hospital colleagues, has been impacted by the hospital spending exorbitant amounts of money on union bust- ing, and intimidating nurses who want to unionize, in violation of their legal rights. Nurses are also fighting for the VA Employ- ee Fairness Act, designed to give nurses at VA hospitals the same collective bargaining powers as nursing assistants, clinicians, and nursing unit clerks at the VA. As things stand, VA nurses are not allowed to negotiate for nurse-to-patient ratios, nor are they allowed to negotiate on compensation or their pensions! Until all employers really listen to what nurses want, the power of collective action and the security of a union contract can help nurses achieve the patient care conditions we really want (and need!). Medicare for all As advocates for public health and safety, nurses cannot bear to watch one more patient suffer or die needlessly, simply due to inability to pay. "For Nurses Week, what nurses really want is Medicare for All! It's very important to me. I have family members who are uninsured, and this would save lives," said RN Francis Capel- lan, who provides care to veterans in the Bronx. The Medicare for All Act of 2019—H.R. 1384 in the House and S. 1804 in the Senate— would improve and expand our current Medicare system to provide high-quality, comprehensive health care to everyone! So while our employers are reaping astro- nomical profits in this failed, immoral system—nurses are celebrating Nurses Week doing what we have done for decades: lead- ing the growing, grassroots Medicare for All movement, because health care is a human right. Join the fight! Bonnie Castillo, RN is executive director of National Nurses United. Bonnie Castillo, RN Executive Director, National Nurses United What nurses really want Forget hospital swag or meditation rocks! RNs demand safe staffing, safe workplaces, and guaranteed health care.

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